The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

The Ants Go Marching Home Again

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one and the little one stops to shoot a gun and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two and the little one stops to tie his shoe and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three and the little one stops to take a pee and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching four by four, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four and the little one stops to open the door and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching five by five, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five and the little one stops to scratch his hide and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching six by six, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching six by six and the little one stops to pick up sticks and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching seven by seven and the little one stops to go to heaven and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching eight by eight and the little one stops to shut the gate and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching nine by nine and the little one stops to spend a dime and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants go marching ten by ten and the little one stops to start again and they all go marching down to the earth to get out of the rain, boom! boom! boom!

Submitter comment:

Recalled in dorm room at the University of Detroit.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORM ROOM