Blindfold Play Chant

Oh blin' man! Oh blin' man!
You cain't never see.
Just tu'n 'round three times
You cain't ketch me.

Oh tu'n Eas'! Oh tu'n Wes'!
Ketch us if you can.
Did you thought dat you'd cotch us,
Mistah blin' man?

Witch Play
Human call: "Molly, Molly, Molly bright!"
Witch 'sponse: "Three sco' an' ten!"
Human call: "Can we get dar 'fore candle-light?"
Witch 'sponse "Yes, if yo' legs is long an' light!"
Conscience, warning call" "You'd better watch out,
Or de witches'll git yer!"

Kneel On This Carpet

Jes choose yo' Eas', jes choose yo' wes'.
Now choose de one you loves de bes'.
If she hain't here to take 'er part,
Choose someone else with all yo' heart.

Down on dis chyarpet you mus' kneel,
Shore as de grass grows in de fiel'.
Salute yo' bride, and kiss her sweet,
An' den rise up upon yo' feet.

Bedbug

De June-bug's got de golden wing,
De lightning-bug de flame;
De bedbug's got no wing at all
But he gits dar jes' de same.

De punkin' bug's got a punkin smell,
De squash-bug smells de wust;
But de puffume of dat ole bedbug,
It's enough to make yo' bust.

W'en dat bedbug come down to my house,
I wants my walkin' cane.
Go git a pot an' scald 'im hot!
Good-by, Miss Lize Jane!

Four of the play rhymes sung by Negro children a long time ago, from: Thomas W. Talley, 1922 (1949) Negro Folk Rhymes. Talley was a black chemistry professor at Fisk University.