ID: 132
Date: 1990s - 2005
Title: I gave my boyfriend an apple..
Gender: Female 
Classification: Clapping 
Rhyme: 

I gave my boyfriend an apple, 
I gave my boyfriend a pear 
I gave my boyfriend a kiss on the cheek 
And he pushed me down the stair. 
I gave him back his apple, 
I gave him back his pear,
I gave him back the kiss on the lips 
And pushed him down the stairs. 
He flew over Spain, (Egypt,Disneyland) 
And lost his underwear.

(NZ, 1990s)

--

I gave my boyfriend an apple,
I gave my boyfriend a pear,
I gave my boyfriend a kiss on the lips,
And he threw me down the stair.
I took back the apple,
I took back the pear,
I took back the kiss from his lips 
And threw him down the stair.
I took him to the lolly shop,
And bought him bubble gum.
And when he wasn't looking,
I stuck it up his bum.

(Auckland, 2002)

--
 
Background Info: Opie, 1988:478. Also begins, "My boyfriend gave me an apple.."
Derived from the American skipping rhyme beginning:

Twelve o'clock striking, (or Nine o'clock striking)
Twelve o'clock striking, 
Mother, may I go out?
All the boys are waiting 
For to take me out.
One will give me an apple, 
One will give me a pear,
One will give me fifty cents
To kiss behind the stair.
I'd rather wash the dishes, 
I'd rather scrub the floor,
I don't want an apple, 
I don't want a pear,
I don't want fifty cents 
To kiss behind the stair.

(New York, 1926)

==
 
Keywords: teenage culture, revenge 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 2 
Incidence: 2