The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

COUNTING OUT RHYME

ONE PERSON STANDS BLINDFOLDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A CIRCLE
FORMED BY ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN, AND TURNS AROUND SAYING:
DEVIL IN A HAYSTACK, BIM-BAM-BOO,
I MUST PICK A DEVIL, AND IT MUST BE YOU.
HE THEN STOPS AND POINTS TO ONE PERSON AND THEN REMOVES
HIS BLINDFOLD. WHOEVER HE HAS PICKED, STANDS WITH HIS
HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK AND THE ORIGINATOR TICKLES THIS
PERSON UNDER HIS CHIN AND SAYS:
DON'T YOU SMILE! DON'T YOU LAUGH!
DON'T YOU SHOW YOUR DIRTY TEETH OR YOU ARE IT.
IF THE PERSON LAUGHS, HE'S IT. IF H DOESN'T, THE PROCESS
CONTINUES UNTIL SOMEONE DOES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT