One-ery, Two-ery, Tickery, Ten Lyrics
A counting-out rhyme from Scotland that turns from numbers to a bird in the air, a fish in the sea and a bonnie wee lassie coming to sing.
One-ery, Two-ery, Tickery, Ten
One-ery, two-ery, tickery, ten,
Bobs of vinegar, gentlemen;
A bird in the air, a fish in the sea;
A bonnie wee lassie come singing to thee.
One, two, three!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/one-ery-two-ery-tickery-ten/
- Type
- Counting Rhymes
- Tune
- Chanted with a lift on the last three words
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| A bird in the air | Flap your hands high above your head. |
| a fish in the sea | Make a wavy fish with your hand. |
| One, two, three! | Count off three fingers and point at the child you land on. |
What Does One-ery, Two-ery, Tickery, Ten Mean?
The first two lines are the usual counting sounds. In the third line the rhyme changes to pictures: a bird in the air, a fish in the sea. The fourth line brings in a bonnie wee lassie, Scots for a pretty little girl, who is coming singing to you. The final One, two, three! is a short count that closes the choice.
Sea and thee rhyme, which makes the end easy to remember. Bobs of vinegar, gentlemen is one of those lines that is said for its sound rather than its sense.
History and Origin
Robert Ford prints this rhyme in the counting-out chapter of Children's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children's Songs, Children's Stories and gives it as another Scotch version of the One-ery, two-ery formula. He says rhymes of this kind prevail in a more or less identical form all over the world.
Learning Activities
- Bird, fish or lassie: act out each picture in the third and fourth lines with your arms and face.
- Count out: choose a starter with the rhyme, pointing at each child on each word.
- Sea and air: sort pictures of animals into those that live in the air and those that live in the sea.