The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

ENGINE, ENGINE NUMBER NINE

ENGINE, ENGINE NUMBER NINE
GOING DOWN THE CHICAGO LINE
IF THE TRAIN SHOULD JUMP THE TRACK
WILL YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK?
MY MOTHER TOLD ME TO PICK THE VERY BEST ONE. MM
PEOPLE PLANNING TO PLAY A GAME WHICH REQUIRES SOMEONE TO BE "IT"
STAND IN A CIRCLE AND HOLD ONE FIST OUT. ONE PERSON IS SELECTED TO
RECITE THE RHYME. USUALLY STARTING WITH THE PERSON ON HIS RIGHT, HE
TAPS ONE FIST WITH HIS FIST ON EACH SYLLABLE OF THE WORDS IN THIS
RHYME. THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO DETERMINE WHO IS "IT." EITHER THE
PERSON WHOSE FIST IS TAPPED ON THE LAST SYLLABLE OF THE RHYME IS "IT"
OR THAT PERSON IS ELIMINATED AND THE RHYME IS REPEATED WITH THE
LAST PERSON ELIMINATED EACH TIME UNTIL ONLY ONE IS LEFT TO BE "IT."

Submitter comment: I LEARNED THIS AS A CHILD BUT CANNOT PINPOINT THE EXACT PLACE OR
TIME. I REMEMBER USING IT QUITE FREQUENTLY TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD
BE "IT."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Date learned: CA00001968