The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Jump-Rope Verse

I went downtown to see Mrs. Brown

She gave me a nickle to buy a pickle.

The pickle was sour so I bought a flower.

The flowe as yellow, I gave it to my fellow.

Where learned: TOLEDO, Ohio

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Fifty Cents

I asked my mother for fifty cents

To see the elephant jump the fence.

He jumped so high, he touched the sky.

And didn't come back til the fourth of July.

Where learned: At her home.

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain

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Johnny

Johnny over the ocean.

Johnny over the sea.

Johnny broke the milk bottle .

And blamed it onto me.

I told ma,  ma told pa.

Johnny got a lickin.

Ha,ha, ha!

Where learned: At her home.

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain

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Fudge, Fudge

Fudge, fudge, tell the judge,

Mommy's havin' a new-born baby;

Is it a gril, is it a boy?

No, it's just a plain old baby.

Wrap it up intissue paper,

Send it up the elevator,

First floor- stop.

Second floor-stop.

Third floor-stop.

etc.

Submitter comment:

Ann's version has only hte first four line.

Where learned: Learned at University of Detroit

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Jump Rope Rhyme

Inky binky bottle of ink,

Cork's out, you stink.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informat share the same surname and address.
 

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Game Verse

Johnny over the ocean, Johnny over the sea,

Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me.

I told ma, ma told pa, and Johnny got a lickin.

Ha, ha, ha

Where learned: LEXINGTON

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain

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Rope-Jump Rhyme

I like coffee.

I like tea.

I like _____ to jumpe in with me.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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I see

I see London, I see France, I see name's underpants.

A jump rope rhyme that is sung in derision of someone

Where learned: TOLD AT COLLECTOR'S HOME

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Jump Rope Rhyme

I went downtown

To meet Miss Brown

She gabe me a nickle

I bouught a pickle was sour

I bought a flower

The flower was yellow

I gave tit to my fellow

Where learned: told at informants house.

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Rhyme

I hate Bosco, Bosco, hates me,

Mommy puts it in my milk to try toposin me.

I fooled mummy adnput it in her tea.

Now I have no momy to try to posin me.

Where learned: GROSSE POINTE WOODS, Michigan

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Loves of life

I love coffee,

I love tea,

I love the boys and the boys love me.

Submitter comment:

Informant could also remember hearing this entry on her old school payground.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant share the same surname.

Where learned: Told at informants home.

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Jump Rope Rhyme

I wrote a letter to my love

And on the way I dropped it

I dropped it once, I dropped it twice

And I dropped it three times over

Where learned: Told at St Bernardo School

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Rope- jumping Rimes

Fudge, fudge, call the judge,

Mothers got a newborn baby.

Not a girl, not a boy,jus an ordinary baby.

Wrap it up in tissue paper,

Send it down the elevator.

Third floor stop, second floor stop;

First floor out you go!

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant are the same person.

Where learned: Learned during childhood play in plymouth, Michigan

Keyword(s): Call ; CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain ; RHYME

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Little Dutch girl dressed in pink

I'm a little Dutch gril

Dressed in pink.

Here are the things I like to drink;

Coca, water and tea,

These are the best for me.
 

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where informant lives.
 

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain

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Little Dutch girl dressed in white.

I'm a little Dutch girl

Dressed in white.

These are the things I say at night:

Goodnight to my mother,

Goodnight to my father,

And goodnight to my littler baby brother.

(School jump rope rhyme)

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where the informant lives .
 

Where learned: Informant's home.

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; Plain

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Half a dollar

I gave him back his peaches.

Igave him back his pears.

I gave him back his 50¢.

And kicked him down the stairs.

(neighborhood jump rope rhyme)

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where informant lives.

Where learned: Learned at informant's home.

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Rope Jumping

Jingle, Jilgle

How do you do?

Jingle, Jingle

How are you?

Is your mother at home?

I don't know.

Jingle, jingle

Go, go,go

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where informant lives.

Where learned: Informant leared at Keating School

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Rope-Jumping Rhyme

Ice cream soda, gigner ale pop

Tell me the initials of your sweetheart.

A,L

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant share the same surname.

Where learned: Informant learned it from her playmates on the northwest side of Detroit in a predominately Italian Neighborhood.

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Jumping rope rhyme

Susy and Johnny   (any names may be substituted)

Sitting in a tree

K-i-s-s-i-n-g

How many times

did he kiss she

one, two ...

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where it was learned.

Where learned: Learned in dormitory.

Keyword(s): Jump ; Plain

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Doctor, doctor

Doctor, doctor can you tell

What will make poor Susie well?

She is sick and going to die

That will make poor Peter cry.

When he comes dressed in blue

That's the time he'ill marry you.

Where learned: Was learned at informants home.

Keyword(s): Charcter ; Jump ; Plain

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