Julie and Beth wrote looking for the origins of two Scandinavian rhymes that are played with little kids while touching their toes. We’re wondering if anyone’s ever heard of these rhymes and perhaps knows what country they’re from and/or anything else about their origins. Here’s what Julie wrote:
I have been searching for the origin of a nursery rhyme that my friend said to her kids. The child has his/her shoes off and starting with the little toe, she names the toes:
Little Pea (little toe)
Peter Lou (next toe)
Oosey Nossey (next toe)
Toosey tossey (next toe)
And a Great Big Oppososso (big toe)I am not sure of the spelling. However, the University of Wisconsin Children’s Library assures me that this toe rhyme has Scandinavian roots. They said: Scandinavia is known for naming toe rhymes.
Please help me, I have been searching the origin of this toe playing game for years with my friend’s blessing. My friend is Scandinavian and she doesn’t remember where she heard this toe playing game. I assume that she heard it as a child.
Julie
Beth Bookschlepper wrote in looking for the origin of a similar rhyme:
I know this as…
Little Pea,
Penny Rou,
Judy Whistle,
Mary Tossle,
And Big Tom Bumble.I am also interested in its origins.
If anyone can help, or would like to share other similar rhymes, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
UPDATE: Check out Little One (aka Little Man) for an American Finger Naming Rhyme with origins in Medieval times.
This article was posted on Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 at 7:20 pm and is filed under Countries & Cultures, Danish, Danish Nursery Rhymes, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Icelandic, Languages, Norway, Norwegian, Norwegian Nursery Rhymes, Nursery Rhymes, Questions, Rhymes by Theme, Sweden, Swedish, Swedish Nursery Rhymes, Toe Naming Rhymes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
363 Responses to “The Origins of Some Scandinavian Finger and Toe Naming Rhymes”
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September 12th, 2023 at 5:02 pm
My husband’s family was originally from New Jersey and England and Germany before that. Their version is this:
Little Peed (start with pinky toe)
Penny Rude
Roody Whistle
Mary Jostle
aaaaannnndddd
GOBBY GOOBY GOSTLE!!!!
September 13th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
winka pea
pena roo
roo whistle
mary tossle
and tom BUM-BALO
October 21st, 2023 at 5:29 am
My cousin did a similar rhyme with me as a child.
‘Little pea
Tinker whistle
Dolly hassle
Pataroosk
And the big chubby hobble gobble!’
November 21st, 2023 at 9:13 pm
My father used to say, starting with my little toe (I’m 70 now):
Aqua Pea
Penny Rue
Roy Whistle
Mary Hawthom
(In a deep voice) Old Tom Bumbo
November 30th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
44 here, remember my great uncle born around late 1920s doing this to me when I was a kid, in Maine:
Little Pea
Penny Lou
Lucy Thistle
Mary Thossle
Old Bumbo!
December 17th, 2023 at 9:56 pm
Starting with the pinky toe of their right foot (so your left) say:
Ichy Pee
Penny Rue
Rufus John
Rue Izzle
And Old Tom Bumble
(then, continuing to the next foot … )
Tommel Tot
Slickem Pot
Lungamung
Goolabrung
And Itty Bitty Spielaman (using a really high pitch voice).
Spelling on all these could be off, and the last one might be Itty Bitty Peetaman (or something to that effect).
January 24th, 2024 at 8:24 pm
In my family it is:
Little Pea
Penny Sue
Suddee Whistle
Mary Wattle and
Big Tom Boodle (in a deep voice and a wiggle of the big toe)
We always called the big toe Big Tom Boodle.
From my Mother’s family. Her Grandmother was from Bergen, Norway
March 2nd, 2024 at 12:38 am
From central North Carolina, starting from the little toe and ending with vigorous wiggle of the big toe.
Acky Pee
Penny Rue
Rue Whistle
Mary Hossel
and Old Tom Bumblebee
March 9th, 2024 at 10:56 pm
Little pea
Peta roo
Roots wistel
Wistel noddle
And great big Gobble Gobble Gobble
April 2nd, 2024 at 12:50 am
Passed down from Northern lower Michigan, early 1900’s, starting at big toe:
Old Tom Bumble
Mary Possel
Root Whistle
Penny Root
Little Pete
Possibly came from Norfolk, England earlier
April 5th, 2024 at 3:17 pm
Mom and aunt always started little toe first (start with high pitched voice and move to deep voice for big toe):
Ecky pea
Penny roo
Rudy whistle
Mary hustle
and
Old Tom Bumble
April 12th, 2024 at 10:18 pm
Wow! What an interesting collection.
From my grandma – 1892, Irish descent:
(phonetically, of course – who knows about spelling?)
Ninny pead,
Penny rude,
Rudy whistle,
Mayjie hustle,
Tum bumble, tum bumble, tum bumble! (with tickling)
April 14th, 2024 at 7:47 am
Little late
Peter Lou
Lou the fissel
Phissel ossel
And great big Ossel Tossel