The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Old Mary Mack

Old Mary Mack Mack Mack
All dressed in black black black
With silver buttons buttons buttons
All down her back back back
She asked her mother mother mother
For fifteen cents cents cents
To see the elephant elephant elephant
Jump the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
He touched the sky sky sky
And he never came back back back
Till the fourth of July.

Submitter comment: This is the very first game I ever
remember playing with children in my
neighborhood. There are hand claps
that accompany this rhyme.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; children in the community

Date learned: 00-00-1960