ID: 128 Date: 1950s - 2006 Title: Eeny, meenie, minie mo Gender: Male and Female Classification: Counting-out Rhyme: Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a nigger by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (NZ ex UK, 1948; Hokitika, 1950s; Auckland, 1960s x 5; New Plymouth, 1960s; NZ ex UK, 1960s; Wellington, 1970s; Tolaga Bay, 1970s; Christchurch,1970s x 2; Auckland, 1970s; Rotorua, 1970s x 3; Hamilton, 1978; Whakatane, 1990s; Orewa, 1990s; Waiuku, 1990s; Rotorua, 1990s; Blenheim, 1990s; Amberley, 2000; Sheffield, 2006) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a tigger by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Auckland, 1980s; Blenheim, 1990s; Owaka, 1990s; Christchurch, 1995 x 3; Taupo, 2000; Christchurch, 2000; Nelson, 2001; Gisborne, 2002; Gore, 2002; Fairlie, 2003; Auckland, 2004 x 2; Auckland, 2006: Lower Hutt, 2006) -- My mother said to pick this one, Because she had an itchy bum. (NZ ex UK, 1990s) -- My mother says to count to ten,1,2,3,4,5, My father said to count back again. 10, 9, 8. (Auckland, 2002; Auckland, 2006) -- Pig's snout - you are out! (Christchucrh, 2000; Nelson, 2001; Arrowtown, 2006; Timaru, 2006) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a piggy by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Christchurch, 1990s; Auckland, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a figure (finger) by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Manurewa, 2000; Christchurch, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a beggar by the toe, If he screeches, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Auckland, 1940s) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a goblin by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. ( Wellington, 1968; Christchurch, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch Richard Loe by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Lower Hutt, 1990s) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a squirrel by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. My mother said to catch this one, But I said to count to ten, 1, 2, 3.. (Christchurch, 2000; Gisborne, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a spider by the toe, If he squeals, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. My mother said to catch this one, Ick, dick dog shit, you are not it. (Christchurch, 1990) -- Eeny, meeny, miney, mo, Out of this you must go. (Hamilton, 2005) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, Catch a twiglet by the toe, If it squeals, let it go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. My mother says count to 10, 1,2, 3... Pig snout, you're out. My mother said to pick the best one. (NZ, 1990s) -- Eeny meeny miny mo, Caterpillar on my toe. If he squeals any mo' Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. (Upper Hutt, 2004) -- Eeny, meeny, miny, mo, Catler,wheeler, whiler, wo. Black fish, spotted trout, Irry, orry you're out! (Christchurch, 1960s) -- Eenie, meenie, miney mo Put a baby on the po. When it's done, wipe its bum, Shove the paper in the dun. Out you must go. (Nelson, 1970s; Christchurch, 1990s) -- Eenie, meenie, miney, maney Catch a granny by the fanny, If she moves, suck her boobs, Eenie, meenie, miney, maney. (Whangarei, 2000; Northland, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, miney , mo Catch a robber by the toe, If he hollers, make him pay, A million dollars every day. ($50) (NZ ex USA, 1990s; Christchurch, 1999) -- Eeny meeny makaraka, Dare dom sickaraka, Eeny meeny lollipop, Bang wang full stop, And you are not it. (Tauranga, 2000) -- Eenie, meenie, minie, mo Catch a monkey by the toe, If he chatters, let him go, Eenie, meenie, minie, mo. (Twizel, 2000) -- Background Info: A universally well-known counting-out rhyme chanted in a group with the leader pointing to each player in turn on count of a syllable. The child on whom the last word falls is the chosen one, or alternatively is 'counted-out'. Compare beginnings of: Eeny, meeny, mony, my, Barcelona, bona, stry. (Wisconsin) Ena, mana, mona, mite, Basca, lora, hora, bite. (Cornwall) Hana, mana, mona, mike, Barcelona, bona, strike. (New York) Ene, tene, mome, mei, Pastor, lone, bone, strei. (Germany) (Opie, 1992:12) == Bauer, 2003:111, notes these versions: Eeny meeny miney mangi Catch a mangi by the tangi. If he squeals Steal his wheels, Eeny meeny miney mangi. Eeny meeny macka racka, Ree a ria, donna nacka. Chicka pocka lolly poppa, Rang tang boosh. == Bauer, 2002,Sect. 17:4, records various replacements for the word 'nigger' as tigger, tiger, moa, nickle, and tula. Eeny meeny miny mit Catch your girlfriend by the tit, If she slips, kiss her lips, Eeny meeny miney mit. == This collection included suggestion to catch Richard Loe (All Black). == Sutton-Smith, 1959:62-63, noted that prior to 1900 the form Enna Deena Dinah Doe was most commonly used. After that time it became Ennie, Meenie, Minie, Moh. Variations such as: Eena deena dina doe, Catla weela wila woe, Each peach pear plum, Out goes Tom Thumb. O-U-T spells out. (Moeraki, 1900; Westland, 1895 (Sutton-Smith, 1959:63)) Eena deena dina doe, Catla weela wila woe, Spit spot must be done, Twiddlum twaddlum, twenty one, O-U-T spells out and out you must go. (Sutton-Smith, 1959:63) Eena deena dina doh, Cotched a nigger by the toe, Why did you let him go? Because he bit my finger so. (Wellington, 1870 (Sutton-Smith, 1959:63)) == Recorded by Bolton, 1888, Newell, 1903 (Opie, 1967:96). == For further historical possibilities. www.recess.ufl.edu/transcripts/2004/0511.shtml (accessed 15 January, 2007) == Eeny, meeny, miney mo, Catch a Jap by the toe, If he hollers, make him say: "I surrender, USA." (Botkin, 1944:768) == Variation in Turner, 1969:11: Eena deena dina dus, Catala weena wina wus, A way flour flock, Allago pallago we wo wis. O-U-T spells out, The rotten, dotten, dirty, dishclout, Out boys out. (Central Victoria, 1875) Also variation in Bolton, 1888:98. == Discussion in Turner, 1969:12, of connections with early counting systems (Anglo-Cymric score) which survived in England from pre- Christian times. Also discussed in Bolton 1880:60-61 and Opie,1992:12-15. Possible connection to Druids relating to selection for human sacrifices. Anglo-Cymric counting systems used by shepherds counting sheep, fishermen, and even knitting women counting their stitches. Welsh-Cumbrian connections. == From Devon, England: Eena, meena, mona, mi, Pasca, lora, vora, vi, Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, Stick, stock, stone-dead. (Personal informant) == Keywords: racist, bawdy, political, WWII, NZ culture, Maori, Location: Various NZ, USA Group size: 4 Incidence: 71