Which one do you say? First is the worst, Second is the best, Third is the one with the… a) wedding dress, b) hairy chest or, c) treasure chest ?
My kids and their friends were debating this one. They disagreed over which answer is the most popular… a, b, or c. Google seems to know b the most. Anyone out there know this rhyme? If so, which ending do you say?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Mama Lisa
PS I asked my friends this question on Facebook and no one answered! Which makes me think it’s a new rhyme that this current generation says. I had never heard it before my kids taught it to me either.
This article was posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Countries & Cultures, English, English Nursery Rhymes, First Is the Worst, Second is the Best, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Schoolyard Chants, USA. 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.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
This one was around my schoolyard when I was a kid (I’m 25 now) as “First, the worst / second, the best / third, the turd.”
September 10th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Oh, this is at least 30 years old … We’ve been saying this since before primary school. And yes, third is the one with the hairy chest!
September 10th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I love that Sam…Third the turd! (You know I’m a kid at heart because I still get a kick out of the gross stuff.)
So it’s known on both sides of the Atlantic… interesting!
September 15th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Our childhood version, and the one I use with my kids (I am 39 ) was 3rd the dirty donkey, 4th the witch that fell in a ditch and 5th the golden angel
November 9th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
0 the hero , first the worst , second the best , third the one with a hairy chest , fourth the king, fifth the queen, sixth the one woth a magazine, seventh goes to heven, eighth the one that likes to read , nineth the one who needs to speed, tenth who runs lengths, eleventh goes to heaven , twelth with wealth ,
January 4th, 2010 at 12:50 am
First the worst, second the same, third the best of the game.
February 8th, 2010 at 9:03 am
30 yrs ago we used to say “first the worst , second the best, third the dirty donkey, fourth the golden eagle and i think 5th was a smelly sock”!
February 15th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
First the worst, second the best, third the nerd, or something like thhhattt ahah ! (:
February 20th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
first the worst second the best third the one with the treasure chest.
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I remember ours being “First is the worst, Second is the best, Third is theone with the Golden Chest”
February 28th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
minus the hinus, 0 the hero, 1st the worse, second the best, third the one with the hairy chest, 4th the one with the golden’s gun, 5th the one with the cheetah’s bum… finish it off some1
March 15th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
i still say the ryhme now i know it as 1st da worst 2nd ze best 3rd da 1 with a hairy breast 4rth can morph 5’s a hive 6 loves weetabix 7’s in heaven 8’d ze gate 9th the one i haven’t got a word 4
April 12th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Huh. My friends and I would always say: 1st the worst, 2nd the best and 3rd the Golden Bird.
May 26th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
0 the hero 1st the worst 2nd the best 3rd the one with a hairy chest 4th the golden eagle 5th the one with a cheetahs bum………. I dunno the rest
June 8th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
My daughter came home from school with this today (I had never heard it before) and uses “treasure chest.”
June 9th, 2010 at 1:33 am
i always say ‘ 1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, third is the one with the hairy chest . 4th is the one with the polka dotted dress ‘ and i knew until about 10, but i totally forgot !
June 21st, 2010 at 6:08 pm
0 the hero, 1st the worse, second the best, third the one with the hairy chest, 4th the one with the golden gun, 5th the one with the cheetah’s bum, 6th the one who picks up sticks, 7th the one who goes to heaven, 8th the one who jumped the gate, 9th is the one who stopped for wine, 10th is the one with the big fat hen
June 24th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
We used to say a totally different version:-
First the worst, secong the best, third the greatest in the west (or third the royal princess). Fourth the ghost eating toast half way up the lamp post. Fifth the witch eating chips half way up the football pitch. Sixth the fox eating socks…… there was more but I can’t remember it
July 6th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
at my school (nottiingham uk) in the 80’s it was
1st the wosrt
2nd the best
3rd the dirty dog mess
golden eagle was in there somewhere but cant remember where!
July 10th, 2010 at 3:00 am
The origins could have been derived from the music in the playground singing from the children jumping rope.
1st I made it, 2nd I did it again, 3rd I think I am getting the hang of this, 4th I tripped but I dont care, 5th come on over me, 6th I am going to get some jam for my toast, 7th im leaving now, 8th im gone, 9th do you want any toast, 10th (your response here) 11th signing out.
July 10th, 2010 at 3:09 am
The origins could have been derived from the music in the playground singing from the children jumping rope.
1st I made it, 2nd I did it again, 3rd I think I am getting the hang of this, 4th I tripped but I dont care, 5th come on over me, 6th I am going to get some jam for my toast, 7th im leaving now, 8th *stomp *stomp *turn, 9th “would you likes some toast?”, 10th (your response here) 11th signing out.
July 24th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
“1st is the worst, 2nd is the best, 3rd is the one with a hairy chest, 4th rules over all the rest, 5th is the one that flunked his test, 6th is the one that pwns the rest, 7th is the one that didn’t try his best, 8th is the one who isent the best but just as good as the rest”
August 3rd, 2010 at 5:25 am
we all say;
1st- the worst..
2nd- the best!
3rd- the one with the hairy chest..
4th-the greatest!
5th- the waitress..
thats all i kno:D:D!
November 9th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
im 13 and we use 1st the worst 2nd the best 3rd the golden eagle but im unsure of the rest <3
December 1st, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I’m 13 now, but my class has been using it since maybe third grade, second even. What I know is
Zero the hero. First the worst. Second the best. Third the nerd in the barbie dress. Fourth the king. Fifth the queen. Sixth the one in the washing machine. Seventh the one who goes to heaven….
Thats all I remember :)
December 12th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
i am 12 and i know 1st is the worst second is the best third is the one with the treasure chest
December 13th, 2010 at 10:01 am
We used to say 30 years ago in Oxford (UK)
first the worst
second the best
third the dirty donkey
fourth the golden eagle
fifth the pot of gold
December 30th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
1st the worst, second the best, third the hairy princess
4th the ghost, eating toast, halfway up the lamppost
5th the witch, eating chips, midway up the football pitch
forgotten the rest!! xxx
December 31st, 2010 at 2:55 pm
When i was at school in England (i’m 36) it was:
1st the worst
2nd the best
3rd the dirty donkey
4th the golden eagle
and that’s as far as it went in those days.
December 31st, 2010 at 6:04 pm
im only 13 but i remember it was 1 da worst
2 the best
3 the one with the ballerina dress
4 the one with the golden chest
5 the one with the gun
6 the one in the washing machine
7 the one that is going to heaven
8 the one who jumped the gate
….
thats all i remember!!! :) :p :D
January 1st, 2011 at 9:59 pm
First is the worst
Second is the best
Third is the one with the treasure chest
Fourth is the one with the polka dot dress
Fifth is the one with the hairy chest
Sixth is the one with the wedding dress
Seventh is the one with a pretty face
Eighth is the one with the untied shoelace
Ninth is the one with the siccors in their hand
And Tenth is the one who is playing in the band
January 2nd, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Well, frist is the worse second is the best third is the one with the treasure chest forth is the one in a poka dotted dress fifth is in one with a hairy chest and i dont know the rest. but it really doesnt even mattter.
January 4th, 2011 at 1:26 am
Im not sure, but i think its faster the master, zero the hero, third the nerd, forth the short, fifth the myth, sixth the stick, seventh the pretty face, eighth the fog, ninth the sand, tenth the band! That pretty much all I know!:)
February 1st, 2011 at 6:47 am
I only kno till 4 but i dnt care so here goes
First is the worst
Second is the best
Third is the one with the hairy chest
Fourth is the one with the golden gun
March 17th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
When I was at school (30 now) it was…
First the worst
Second the best
Third the one with the hairy chest
Forth the golden eagle
And I don’t think I ever knew any more of it. Has bugged me for years as to what the rest is, but it seems there is no definitive version….I think I might have to add Fifth the cheetahs bum, though.
March 20th, 2011 at 6:22 am
First the worst
Second the best
Third the oe with the hairy chest
Fourth the golden eagle
Fith the dirty donkey ……..
Cant remember the rest
March 22nd, 2011 at 12:09 pm
it’s 1st the worst 2nd the best 3rd the one with the golden chest 4th the ghost, eating toast half way up the lamp post 5th needs to take a piss 6th the one in the washing machine 7th went to heaven 8th was to darn late 9th isn’t even standing in line 10th are men 11th did the same as number seven
April 29th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
No it’s 0 the hero first the worst second the best third the golden princess!!
June 3rd, 2011 at 8:15 am
minus the hinus
zero the hero
First is the worst
Second is the best
Third is the one with the treasure chest
Fourth is the one with the polka dot dress
Fifth is the one with the hairy chest
Sixth is the one with the wedding dress
Seventh is the one with a pretty face
Eighth is the one with the untied shoelace
Ninth is the one with the siccors in their hand
And Tenth is the one who is playing in the band
July 28th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Wow didn’t realise there would be so many versions!
However i recall
1st the worst, 2nd the best, 3rd the one with a hairy chest, 4th the one who picks thier nose 5th the one who eats it!!
November 5th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
So, as far as I knew, it was:
First is worst,
Second is best,
Third is the one with the treasure chest,
Fourth is silver,
Fifth is gold,
Sixth is a story yet untold…
((Seventh, eighth, and ninth are all a mystery to me…))
When you find your way back ’round to ten
You’ll find your way to home again.
Does anyone know the missing lines?
December 20th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
As far as I knew from when I was 10 (i am now 14) it was:
Zero the hero
First the worst
Second the best
Third the one with the hairy chest
Fourth the one with the golden gun
Fith the king
Sixth the queen
Seventh the one in the washing machine
January 1st, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Zero is the hero.
First is the worst.
Second is the best.
Third is the nerd in the polka-dot dress.
I’m 26, and that’s as far as I remember it going.
January 31st, 2012 at 5:17 pm
am 17 and was brought up to know; zero the hero, 1st the worst, 2nd the best, 3 the rolyal princess, 4th the gost eating toast half way up the lamp post :’) never knew there was some many different ones aha x
February 25th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Zero is the hero
First is the worst
Second is the best
Third is the one with the harry chest
Fourth is the one with the treasure chest
Fifth is the one with the polka dot dress
Sixth is the king
Seventh is the queen
Eighth is the one in the washing machine
March 22nd, 2012 at 7:51 am
0 the hero
1st the worst
2nd the best
3rd the one with the hairy chest
4th dwarf
5th the gift
6 the one who picks up sticks
mdae it up hehe lol :D xxx
June 30th, 2012 at 8:14 am
1st the worst, 2nd the best, 3rd’s the one with a hairy chest, 4th’s the one with the golden gun. dnt think we ever went further then that.
July 1st, 2012 at 1:13 am
First The Worst
Second The Best
Third The Golden Turd
Fourth The Dwarf
Fifth The Myth
Sixth The Dictatorships
Seventh The Adolescent
Eighth The Apes
Ninth The Limes
Tenth The Sense
Eleventh The Heavens
Twelfth The Elf.(:
August 23rd, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Zero the hero
First the worst
Second the best
Third the one with the hairy chest
Fourth the one with the golden gun
Fifth the one with the hairy bum
. . .Don’t remember any more. :)
April 1st, 2013 at 7:25 am
First the worst second the same third the best of the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!