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Backwards Rhyme

an American folk rhyme

One bright day in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other,
Drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
Came and shot the two dead boys.
If you do not believe this lie is true,
Ask the blind man; he saw it too!


My mom taught me this rhyme, while driving in the car (on the 210 freeway if I am not mistaken) when I was a little girl. I have no idea where she learned it. Looking it up on the all-knowing-Internet I discovered many variations (some of which do not rhyme!) and even a prologue and four additional couplets. If you feeling geeky check it out here and here. I was tickled to find a similar rhyme, recited by British schoolchildren, that struck my fancy on the the first referenced web page.


I went to the pictures tomorrow
I took a front seat in the back,
I fell from the pit to the gallery
And broke a front bone in my back.
A lady she gave me some chocolate,
I ate it and gave it her back.
I phoned for a taxi and walked it,
And that's why I never came back.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My grandfather used to say that rhyme at dinner! I've never heard anyone else use it. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

xo
Linda

Beth said...

Great. Not only is my friend I'm allowing to be around my children for a whole week weird, but the family I married into is weird as well. Sigh.

I think I may have heard that too, but thought it too weird to commit to memory. :)

See you tomorrow!!