The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Entertainment: Game

Variations of "one potato, two potato" method of choosing "it':

(Rhyme is chanted by one person as all the children stand in a circle with both fists in front, thums up. The person taps each fist in the circle of fists, not neglecting his own. I will indicate the words correcponding to the taps by partial underlining.)

One potato, two potao, three potato, four.

Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.

The first hit on more is put behind the back and the rhyme continues until only one fist remains, this person being "it.")

Submitter comment:

My mother learned this rhyme in her grammar school days in Detroit.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [C570.560, C300.021] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CHILDHOOD ; Elimination ; Entertainment ; GAME ; POTATO ; RHYME