The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

RHYME, COUNTING OUT

1
THIS OLD MAN
HE PLAYED ONE
HE PLAYED KNICK-KNACK
ON MY THUMB,
CHORUS
WITH A KNICK-KNACK
PADDY-WHACK
GIVE YOUR DOG A BONE,
THIS OLD MAN CAME ROLLING HOME.

Submitter comment: THE OTHER VERSES FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERN AND ARE ALL FOLLOWED
BY THE CHORUS:
2 HE PLAYED TWO - ON MY SHOE, (CH.
3 HE PLAYED THREE - IN A TREE, (CH.
4 HE PLAYED FOUR - ON MY DOOR, (CH.
5 HE PLAYED FIVE - ON A HIVE, (CH.
6 HE PLAYED SIX - WITH SOME STICKS, (CH.
7 HE PLAYED SEVEN - UP IN HEAVEN, (CH.
8 HE PLAYED EIGHT - ON MY GATE, (CH.
9 HE PLAYED NINE - ALL THE TIME, (CH.
10 HE PLAYED TEN - ON HIS HEN, (CH.

Keyword(s): CHAIN ; COUNTING ; INITIAL ITERATION