ID: 618
Date: 1920s - 2000
Title: Over the garden wall
Gender: Female 
Classification: Autograph, skipping 
Rhyme: 

Over the garden wall, 
I let the baby fall,
Mother came out 
And gave me a clout, (shout)
And sent me over the wall.

(Fairlie, 1960s; Porirua, 1970s; Auckland, 2000)

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Over the garden wall,
I let the baby fall,
Mother came out,
And gave me a clout, 
Over the garden wall.

(1920-1950 (Sutton-Smith, 1959:78))

--
 
Background Info: Variations: Turner, 1978:24.
" For this rhyme the rope is doubled, the top part held tight by two girls, one at each end; the lower part is not turned but sways backwards and forwards. A girl holds the tight rope with one hand and jumps over the lower part of the rope as it sways, reciting the verse. While reciting the last line, the skipper jumps over the tight part of the rope." (Sydney, 1945. Turner, 1969:35)

==

Sutton-Smith, 1959:78 describes similar actions as above.

==

Also described by Opie, 1997:155, as a ball- bouncing game, including the actions of dropping the ball for the 'baby' and giving yourself a 'clout':

Over the garden wall, 
I let the baby fall,
Mother came out 
And gave me a clout,
I asked her who she was bossing about,
She gave me another to match the other,
Over the garden wall.

(UK, 1950-1970)

==
 
Keywords: sibling rivalry, violence, 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 3 
Incidence: 4