The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

COUNTING OUT RHYME

EACH PERSON INVOLVED PUTS HIS TWO FISTS FORWARD AND ONE
PERSON DOES THE COUNTING OUT, SAYING ONE WORD AS HE TAPS
EACH FIST. THE RHYME IS:
BUBBLEGUM, BUBBLEGUM, IN A DISH,
HOW MANY PIECES DO YOU WISH?
EXAMPLE--THE CHILD MIGHT SAY 5, SO THE COUNTER GOES ON
AND SAYS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND YOU ARE NOT IT. WHOEVER HAS
THE WORD "IT" SPOKEN TO HIM, PUTS THAT FIST BEHIND HIS
BACK. THE PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL ONE PERSON HAS A FIST
LEFT, AND THAT PERSON IS "IT."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Date learned: 00-00-1960