J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps

The operation of counting-out is a very important mystery in many puerile games. The boys or girls stand in a row, and the operator begins with the counting-out rhyme, appropriating a word to each, till he comes to the person who receives the last word, and who is accordingly "out." This operation is continued till there is only one left, who is the individual chosen for the hero of the game, whatever it may be. The following verses are selected from a host of rhymes employed for this purpose:

One-ery, two-ery,

Tick-ery, tee-vy;

Hollow-bone, crack-a-bone,

Pen and eevy.

Ink, pink,

Pen and ink;

A study, a stive,

A stove, and a sink!

One-ery, two-ery,

Tickery, teven;

Alabo, crackabo,

Ten and eleven:

Spin, spon,

Must be gone;

Alabo, crackabo,

Twenty-one!

O-U-T spells out.

[Something similar to this is found in Swedish, Arwidsson, iii. 492:

Apala, mesala,

Mesinka, meso,

Sebedei, sebedo!

Extra, lara,

Kajsa, Sara!

Heck, veck,

VÄllingsÄck,

Gack du din lÅnge man veck,

Ut!]

Igdum, digdum, didum, dest,

Cot-lo, we-lo, wi-lo, west;

Cot pan, must be done,

Twiddledum, twaddledum, twenty-one!

Hytum, skytum,

Perridi styxum,

Perriwerri wyxum,

A bomun D.

Amongst the various devices to establish a royal road to infantine learning, none are more ancient or useful than the rhymes which serve to impress the letters of the alphabet upon the attention and memory of children. As early as the fifteenth century, "Mayster Benet," who was rector of Sandon, in Essex, in 1440, and afterwards a prebend of St. Paul's, composed or translated an alphabet-rhyme, which not only professed to recall the memory of the letters, but at a time when the benefit of clergy was in vogue, held out the inducement of providing means for avoiding the punishment of death. The following copy is taken from two versions in MS. Harl. 541, compared with each other:

"Who so wyll be wyse and worshyp to wynne, leern he on lettur and loke upon another of the A. B. C. of Arystotle. Noon argument agaynst that, ffor it is counselle for clerkes and knightes a thowsand; and also it myght amend a meane man fulle oft the lernyng of a lettur, and his lyf save. It shal not greve a good man, though gylt be amend. Rede on this ragment, and rule the theraftur, and whoso be grevid yn his goost governe the bettur. Herkyn and here every man and child how that I begynne:

A. to Amerous, to Aventurous, ne Angre the not to moche.

B. to Bold, to Besy, and Bourde not to large.

C. to Curtes, to Cruel, and Care not to sore.

D. to Dulle, to Dredefulle, and Drynk not to oft.

E. to Ellynge, to Excellent, ne to Ernstfulle neyther.

F. to Ferse, ne to Familier, but Frendely of chere.

G. to Glad, to Gloryous, and Gelowsy thow hate.

H. to Hasty, to Hardy, ne to Hevy yn thyne herte.

J. to Jettyng, to Janglyng, and Jape not to oft.

K. to Keping, to Kynd, and ware Knaves tatches among.

L. to Lothe, to Lovyng, to Lyberalle of goodes.

M. to Medlus, to Mery, but as Maner asketh.

N. to Noyous, to Nyce, nor yet to Newefangle.

O. to Orpyd, to Ovyrthwarte, and Othes thou hate.

P. to Preysyng, to Privy, with Prynces ne with dukes.

Q. to Queynt, to Querelous, to Quesytife of questions.

R. to Ryetous, to Revelyng, ne Rage not to meche.

S. to Straunge, ne to Steryng, nor Stare not to brode.

T. to Taylous, to Talewyse, for Temperaunce ys best.

V. to Venemous, to Vengeable, and Wast not to myche.

W. to Wyld, to Wrothfulle, and Wade not to depe,

A mesurabulle meane Way is best for us alle."