The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Rope-Jumping Rhymes

I had a little baby, his name ws Tiny Tim.

Put him in the bathtub to teach himhow to swim

He drank all the water, He ate all the the soap

Hed died last night form a bubble in his throat.

I called the doctor.

I called the nurse.

I called the lady with the alligator purse.

In came the doctor. (another jumps in)

In came the nurese (another jumps in)

In can the ladey with the alligator purse (another jumps in)

Out wnet the doctor (one jumps out)

Out went the nurse (one jumps out)

Out went the lady with the alligator purse.

Where learned: Told in Detroit

Keyword(s): Call ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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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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Jump Rope Rhyme

I'm a little Dutch girl diressed in blue,

Here are the duties I used to do:

Salut toe the captain, courtesy to the queen,

Touch the bottom of the ocean green.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant share the same surname.

Collect does not state what city or state the informant resides in.
 

Where learned: Told at informant's home.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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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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Jump-rope rime

I'm a little Dutch girl.

Dressed in red.

These are the things my faterh said:

Salute to the Captin

Cursty to the queen.

And turn my back on the mean old king.

Where learned: Told in Detroit

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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Rope Jumping Rime

I'm a little dutch girl and I can do the kicks,kicks, kicks.

I'm a little dutch girl and I can do the splits,splits splits.

I'm a little dutch girl and I can do the downs, downs, downs.

I'm a little dutch girl and I can do the rounds, rounds,rounds.

Where learned: Learned from the street gand in S. Euclid, Ohio.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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Jump Roe Rhyme

Johnny over the ocean

Johnny over the sea

Johnny broke a tea cup

And blamed it on me

I told ma

Ma told pa

Johnny got a lickin

Ha ha ah

Salt, vingar, mustard, pepper

(faster with each of the last line)
 

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; Jump ; SPEED

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Jump Rope Rhyme Dutch Girl

I'm a little Dutch girl dressed in blue

Theses are the things I  used to do:

Salute to the captain

Bow to the queen

Turn my back on the mean ole king

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant share the same surname.

Where learned: The collector does not state where it was learned.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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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 blue

I'm a little Dutch girl

Dressed in blue

Theses are the things I like to do:

Salute to the captain

Cursty to the queen

And turn my back

Upon the mean old king.

(school jump rope rhyme)

Data entry tech comment:

Informants does not say what city she lives.

Where learned: INFORMANT'S HOME

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; 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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Johnny over the ocean Johnny over the sea.

Johnny broke a milke bottle adn blamedit on me.

I told mom, mom told pa

Johnny got a lickin, Ha, ha, ha,.

How many lickins did he get that week? 1,2,3,4, etc.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where Informant lives.

Where learned: Collector does not state where it was learned.

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump

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Jump Rope Rhyme

I'm a little Dutch girl all

dressed in blue

There are three things I like to do

Salute to the captain

Cursty to the queen

Turn my back on the mean old king.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where the informant lives.

Where learned: Collector does not state where it was learned.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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Jump Rope Rhyme

Teddy bear, teddy, bear turn around.

Teddy bear, teddy bear touch the ground

Teddy bear, teddy bear go up stairs.

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn off the light.

Teddy bear, teddy bear say good-night.

( As the jumper says this she must dowhat ever the rhyme tells Teddy bear to do while she is jumping.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector and informant share the same surname.

Where learned: Told at informant's home.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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Teddy bear, teddy bear

Teddy bear, teddybear, turn around,

Teddy bear, teddybear, touch the ground.

Teddy bear, teddybear, shine your shoes,

Teddy bear,teddy bear read the news.

Teddy bear, teddy beary go upstaris,

Teddy bear, teddy bear say your prayers.

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn off the light,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, spell goodnight,

G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T.

Where learned: Univeristy of Detroit

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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Jump song-rope

Chinky, chinky  chinaman sittling on a fence,

Trying to make $1.00 out of .59¢,

She missed, she missed,

She missed like this ...

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state where the informant lives.
 

Where learned: Morrell

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump ; Jump ; SPEED

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Jump - rope rhyme

Blondie and Dagwood went to town

Blondie bought an evening gown

Dagewood bought  a pair of shoes

Cookie read the evening news

Here is what it said

Close your eyes, count to ten

If you miss take an end.

Where learned: Learned from a playmate about 6 years ago.

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump

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Jump rope rhymes

Teddy bear, teddy bear, point to the sky.

Teddy bear, teddy bear show your glass eye

Teddy bear, teddy bear pull your wig

Teddy bear, teddy bear dance a jig.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector does not state what city it was learned.

Where learned: Informant learned in neighborhood.

Keyword(s): ACTION ; CHARACTER ; RHYME

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