Edited by Azizi Powell
This is an unofficial, reformatted excerpt of the 1980 Dictionary Of Counting Out Rhymes.that was edited by Roger D. Abrahams and Lois Rankin. This excerpt focuses on some examples of "eeny meeny miney mo" rhymes in that Dictionary which include the n word* or other referents.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all the collectors, researchers, and contributors of these examples.
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I believe that this reformatted excerpt increases its readability and helps focus attention on the different versions of these rhymes.
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This pancocojams post
is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on the "eenie meenie miney
mo" counting out/choosing it rhymes and on eenie meenie epsileenie"
jump rope/hand clap rhymes (or similar titles).
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/09/links-for-pancocojams-posts-about-eeny.html for a post that includes links for all of the pancocojams posts that have been published as of this date bout "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" rhymes and related rhymes such as "Eenie Meenie Macka Reenie".
The focus of those posts is to archive these examples and/or to document contributors' attitudes regarding the changes in these rhymes from racist wording/references to non-racist wording/references.
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THE USE OF THE EUPHEMISM "THE N WORD" AND THE SPELLING "NI-GER" IN THIS POST INSTEAD OF THAT FULLY SPELLED OUT WORD
*The n word" is frequently used in the United States as a substitute for the derogatory referent beginning with the letter "n" that was (and too often is still) used for Black people.
In this blog and elsewhere, I use the euphemism "the n word" as a substitute for that word. I also use the spelling "ni-ger* followed by an asterisk [ni-ger*] instead of the standard English language spelling of that word when it is found in counting out rhymes and other rhymes, songs, and chants.
I do both of these things because I absolutely detest that fully spelled out word and don't like to see or hear it.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THIS EXCERPT
"Counting-Out Rhymes: A Dictionary Edited by Roger D. Abrahams and Lois Rankin
Publications of the American Folklore Society Bibliographical and Special Series Volume 31, 1980
University of Texas Press, 1980; 2014 [internet]
…. "This volume is a companion-piece to Jump-Rope Rhymes: A
Dictionary and grows from the same personal project—an attempt to give order to
a mass of items of childlore in English. It is hoped that such compendia will
make the materials of folklore available not only to folklorists, but also to
those concerned with the language and motor development of children, child
culture, and socialization in general."…
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I've written the lines in italics that are given for these "eeny miney miney mo" rhymes for highlighting purposes only.
https://dokumen.pub/counting-out-rhymes-a-dictionary-9780292711037.html
"Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, Catch a ni-ger* (baby, rabbit) by
the toe, If he hollers, let him go. Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. See also 134.
AJso found as a jump-rope rhyme (JRR, p. 47)See Opie, Dictionary, pp. 156-157.
Knapp (1976), 4, 197-198 [United States from revolutionary times]. Discussed as
racist rhyme since 1850. Mentions substituting names of animals or national
enemies (Hitler, Tojo, Castro, Viet Cong) for "ni-ger*."
Sutton-Smith (1959), 63 [New Zealand, 1870, 1880]. Two variants beginning "Eena deena dina doe (doh)"; one ends "Why did you let him go? / 'Cos he bit my finger so." Robertson, NF, 3, no. 2 (Summer i960), 28 [Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, since 1880's]. Two variants; one, from
[page] 58
1880's, adds "Hot potatoes on his chin, / 'Nuff to make
the devil grin." Babcock, AA, o.s., 1 (1888), 274 [District of Columbia].
Begins "Enee, menee, tipsy-toe." Bolton (1888), 105-106 [throughout
United States; Ireland; Edinburgh]. Six variants; one, "Eeny, meeny, miny,
mum, / Catch a ni-ger* by the thumb." Opie (1969), 36 [England, current
since at least 1890]. Gregor (1891), 19, 20, 31 [Scotland].
[...]
Two variants, beginning "Ana, mana, mina, m o " and "Ena, mena, mina, mo." Potter, "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo," Standard Dictionary (1949), 339 [New England, upstate New York, northern United States, 1899; New York City, 1949]. Mentions trend to substituting "baby," "rooster," "black cat," or "rabbit" for "ni-ger*."
[...]
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Bett (1924), 58. Begins "Eena, meena, mina, mo." Whitney and Bullock (1925), 134 [Maryland]. ''Uncle Sandy," Word-Lore, 1 (1926), 224. Heck, JAF, 40 (1927), 36. Guy B. Johnson (1930), 165 [St. Helena Island, North Carolina]. Two variants: one, "Ketch a neighbor"; the other begins "Ink stink, tobacco stink." Henry (1934), 238 [Indiana]. Turner (1969), 11-12 [Melbourne, ca. 1935; current throughout Australia]. Two variants; one begins "Eena deena dinah do." Withers (1946), n.p. [from Brooklyn College students, 1 9 3 5 1946]. Maryott, SFQ, 1, no. 4 (1937), 54, 55 [Nebraska]. Two variants; one begins "Filson, folson, Nicholas Dan, / Catch a ni-ger* if you can."
Mills and Bishop, The New Yorker (November 13, 1937), 34 [Scotland]. Two lines only: "Endy bendy bamba roe, / Caught a chicken by the toe." Brewster, SFQ, 3 (1939), 179Wood and Goddard (1940), 570. "Folk Rhymes and Jingles" (1944), 4 [Maryland]. Bryant, NYFQ, 2 (1946), 291. Alternate second line: "Catch a Jap by the toe." Emrich and Korson (1947), 122. Yoffie, JAF, 60 (1947), 30 [Missouri]. Withers, NYFQ, 3 (1947), 214. "Eenie, meenie, miny, mo, / Catch a Jap (rabbit, tiger, rooster) by the toe." Hansen, WF, 7 (1948), 52. Withers (1948), 83. Hines, Daedalian Quarterly, 17, no. 1 (Fall 1949), 41 [Texas]. Harry Harris, Evening Bulletin (May 30, 1949), 10. Roberts, HF, 8 (1949), 8 [Indiana, Tennessee, New Jersey, Montreal, Pennsylvania, Maine]. Gullen (1950), 14.
Musick and Randolph, JAF, 63 (1950), 430-431 [Missouri]. Brewster (1952), 162-163 [North Carolina]. Evans (1956), 8. Bley (i957)> 96. Bluebells My Cockle Shells (1961), n.p. [Ayrshire]. Koch (1961), 117 [Kansas]. Grayson (1962), 73. "Catch a tiger." Leventhal and Cray, WF, 22 (1963), 240-241 [California]. Four variants; one Begins "Mary had a little lamb." Ritchie (1965), 45 [Edinburgh and Adelaide]. Two variants, beginning "Eenie meenie mina m o " and "Eeny, meeny, myny, mo"; one has "Catch a wombat" in second line.
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Goldstein (1971), 169, 174 [Philadelphia, 1966-1967]. Two variants, featuring "tiger" and "feller," the latter extended by the lines "My mother says you are out. / But I say you are it." Castagna, NYFQ, 25 (1969), 228 [New Rochelle, New York]. "Catch a tiger"; ends "My mother says to pick this very best one and you are not it." Fowke (1969), 111 [Canada]. Two variants: "Catch a monkey" and "Catch a beatnik . . . / If he hollers 'Daddy-O,' / Play it cool and let him go." Enid Porter (1969), 209 [Cambridgeshire]. Rodger (1969?), 19 [Scotland]. Cooper (1972), 82. "I caught a lizard." Milberg (1976), 24. "Catch a tiger." Howard (1977), 212 [Texas].
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, Catch a ni-ger* (darky) by the toe. If he hollers, make him pay, Fifty dollars every day. With numerous conventional endings. See also 133. Potter, "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo," Standard Dictionary U949)> 339 [Nebraska; Illinois, Iowa, and Connecticut, i88o's]. Three variants (one "Eeny, meeny, miny, mum, / Catch a ni-ger* by the thumb, / If he hollers send him hum, / Eeny, meeny, miny, mum") reflecting controversy over 1850 Fugitive Slave Law = Knapp (1976), 197.
Bolton
(1888), 105 [Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska] = Daiken (1949), 10. Two variants, one
ending "Every time the ni-ger* hollers, / Make him pay you fifty
dollars." Perrow, JAF, 26 (1913), 142 [Mississippi, 1909]. Gardner, JAF,
31 (1918), 526 [Michigan]. Whitney and Bullock (1925), 34 [Maryland]. Hudson
(1928), 116 [Mississippi]. Henry (1934), 238 [Indiana]. Maryott, SFQ, 1, no. 4
(1937), 54 [Nebraska]. Brewster, SFQ, 3 (1939), *79. McAtee (1946), 22
[Indiana]. Yoffie, JAF, 60 (1947), 30 [Missouri]. Withers (1948), 83. Hines,
Daedalian Quarterly, 17, no. 1 (Fall 1949), 41 [Texas]. Begins "Eenie,
meenie, minie, mo." Roberts, HF, 8 (1949), 8 [Tennessee].
Brewster (1952), 162-163 [North Carolina]. Begins
"Eeny, meeny, miny, min, / Catch a ni-ger* by the chin." Evans (1956),
8. Howard, NYFQ, 16 (i960), 135 [Australia, from United States]. Millard, NYFQ,
16 (i960), 148. Koch (1961), 118 [Kansas]. Leventhal and Cray, WF, 22 (1963),
239-240 [California]. Five variants. Brill, GMW, 24 (1972), 3. Begins
"Eany, meany, miny, mow, / Catch a
t h i e f . . . "
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, Catch old Tojo by the toe. If he hollers make him say, I surrender, U.S.A. Also found as a jump-rope rhyme; see JRR, p. 47 ("Eeny, meeny, miney mo. / Catch Castro by the toe."}. Soifer, Story Parade, 6, no. 7 (July 1941), 16
[Brooklyn, 1916]. "Catch the Kaiser . . . " Potter, "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo," Standard Dictionary U949)> 339 [New York City, current during World War II]. "Folk Rhymes and Jingles" (1944), 4 [Maryland]. "Catch a Jap." Hines, Daedalian Quarterly, 17, no. 1 (Fall 1949), 41—42 [Texas]. Begins "Eenie, meenie, minie moe, / Catch a Jap by the ear." Brewster (1952), […]
[page] 62
Wintemberg and Wintemberg, jAF, 31 (1918), 122 [Ontario]. Second line "Cas-a-lara, bina, bo." Ends with "Eggs, butter, cheese, bread" rhyme (152). Udal (1922), 393 [Dorset]. Begins "Ena, mena, mina, mo, / Keska, lena, lima, lo," ending with "Eggs, butter, cheese, bread" rhyme (152). Brewster (1952), 162 [North Carolina, 1923]. Bett (1924), 58 [Cumberland, England]. "Eena, meena, mina, mo, / Bassa lena, Una, lo." Whitney and Bullock (1925), 134 [Maryland]. Botkin (1947), 905 [Vermont, 1930's]. Knapp (1976), 9 (i93o's). Henry (1934), 240 [Kentucky]. Maryott, SFQ, 1, no. 4 (1937), 39 [Nebraska]. Two variants. Brewster, SFQ, 3 (1939L 179 Hines, Daedalian Quarterly, 17, no. 1 (Fall 1949), 41 [Texas]. Begins "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, / Catch a feenie, finie, foe." Cassidy, PADS, no. 29 (April 1958), 24 [Oklahoma]. Ends "O-U-T spells out. / Get out of here you dirty old dishrag you."
[…]
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, Sit the baby on the po. When he's done Wipe his bum, Tell his mummy what he's done. Opie (1969), 36 [England, current since nineteenth century]. Ritchie (1965), 45 [Edinburgh]. Begins "Eenie meenie mannie mo." Turner (1969), 12 [Geelong, Australia, 1967, from Scots migrant informant]. "Stick the bairn on the po
Eeny meeny miny mo This foot got to go. Evans (1956), 28.
With playing instructions. ."…
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Mudcat is an online forum for word only discussions about folk music. Children's recreational rhymes are a sub-set of folk music.
ReplyDeleteI was a Mudcat member for about ten years and thank that forums' members and guests for introducing me to the concept of groups of people worldwide sharing, studying, and offering their opinions about folk songs and rhymes.
Here's a 2006 comment from GUEST, thug who quoted and gave his (or her) opinion about the comment that another guest added to a discussion on that forum about eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes) :
Subject: RE: eena meena mackeracka (children's rhymes)
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 12:24 PM
"my mother said that N----- was a bad wrd and that we should use 'darky' kind of hard to believe now."
[end of the other guest's quote]
"Hard to believe, yes - but in another thread recently, an Englishman mentioned his father using "darky" as a neutral or polite term. I don't know how widespread this (mis)understanding was, but I can say that my (Canadian) grandmother, born around 1890, used that term to the end of her days, and she lived to the age of 103 - and would be quite indignant when my mother would chide her about it. (About using the term "darky" that is, not about living to 103). As far as she was concerned, there was nothing disrespectful in her use of the term; she was satisfied that she was free of racial prejudice, and was not one to speak without thinking - but also not one to be bullied in matters of diction or anything else. I am certain that there was nothing questionable about her attitudes (or lack of attitudes) regarding race, and that if the right person had talked to her about her use of the term "darky", she would have accepted that it could be insulting nowadays, and would have stopped using it. Not that it crept into the conversation much anyway.
I wonder if the great popularity of Stephen Foster songs spread the term "darky" around the English-speaking world or if it had an international life of its own?
(Sorry for the thread drift)."
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This is the way this comment was written on that discussion thread, except for my words that are given in brackets that indicate the end of the first guest's words.