ID: 917
Date: 1975 - 1990s
Title: First the worst
Gender: Male and Female 
Classification: Oral legislation 
Rhyme: 

First the worst,
Second the best,
Third the golden princess.

(Gisborne, 1975; Gisborne, 1980s; Christchurch, 1990s; Ashburton, 2006)

--

Children commented that they 'made up' the following lines:

Fourth the dwarf,
Fifth the myth,
Sixth came with a bunch of sticks,
Seven came from heaven,
Eight was too late,
Nine was a pine,
Ten was the end.

--
 
Background Info: Bauer, 2002, Sect.21:1-17, noted the different versions from a large number of school playgrounds, the most common being "First the worst, second the best". However, from then on many different variations were noted, including (incidence recorded in brackets):

Third the golden eagle (71)
Third the golden princess (64)
Third the nerd (35)
Third the man (one) with the hairy chest (11)
Third the turd (3). 

Fourth the dwarf  was the most common variant.
Fourth the dwarf who fell/sat/stood in the sauce.(29)
Fourth the horse who/ fell/sat/ got covered in tomato sauce.(8)

Fifth the witch, eating chips, half-way up the footy pitch.
Fifth the myth.
Fifth the gift.

Sixth the bitch.
Sixth the dirty dyke.

Bauer's discussion is extensive and includes details of regional differences. Similarly Bauer, 2003:112, records "Last one is a rotten egg and the first one has to eat it."

==

Botkin, 1944:778, records this from USA, 1940s, as a consolation to the child who comes in last:

First's the worst,
Second's the same,
Last's the best of all the game.

==

From Withers, 1948:169:

First is worst
Second's the same,
Last is best 
In every game.

==
 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 5 
Incidence: 4