One-ery, Two-ery, Hickary, Hum Lyrics
Four lines of nonsense names and sounds, used in Somerset to count out who would be the lapwing in a game called pee-wit.
One-ery, Two-ery, Hickary, Hum
One-ery, two-ery, hickary, hum,
Fillison, follison, Nicholson, John,
Quever, quauver, Irish Mary,
Stenkarum, stankarum, buck!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/one-ery-two-ery-hickary-hum/
- Type
- Counting Rhymes
- Tune
- Chanted in a quick, bouncing rhythm
- Best for ages
- 4 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| One-ery, two-ery, hickary, hum | Point at a child on each word. |
| Fillison, follison, Nicholson, John | Tap your knees in time. |
| Stenkarum, stankarum, buck! | Jump on the last word. |
What Does One-ery, Two-ery, Hickary, Hum Mean?
Like many counting-out rhymes, this one is mostly sound. Hickary hum, fillison, follison and stenkarum, stankarum are made-up words, while Nicholson, John and Irish Mary are names dropped into the rhythm. The final buck! is a sharp stop that tells the group where the counting ended.
It is a tongue-friendly rhyme, with lots of repeated k and n sounds, and it is easy to say faster each round.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints the lines in The Nursery Rhymes of England as number CCCII. His note says they were used in Somersetshire in counting out the game of pee-wip or pee-wit. Pee-wit is another name for the lapwing, the bird whose call gives it that name.
Learning Activities
- Count out: use the rhyme to choose who goes first, with one word for each child pointed at.
- Tongue warm-up: say the last two lines three times fast.
- Lapwing hunt: look up a picture of a lapwing and listen to how it got the name pee-wit.