The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

COUNTING OUT

WHEN WE WERE SMALL AND PLAYED GAMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
WHICH REQUIRED ONE OF US TO BE IT, WE WOULD OFTEN FOLLOW
THIS:
EACH PERSON WOULD EXTEND CLOSED FISTS IN FRONT OF HIMSELF.
THEN ONE PERSON WOULD SAY THIS WHILE TOUCHING EACH FOOT
GOING AROUND TO EVERYONE:
ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO, THREE POTATO, FOUR,
FIVE POTATO, SIX POTATO, SEVEN POTATO, OR.
WHERE HIS HAND LANDED WHEN SAYING "OR" THAT PERSON WAS OUT.
THIS WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THE LAST ONE WOULD BE IT.

Where learned: ROYAL OAK ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED