able soufay

i've been meaning to blog the repetative chant that my grandfather taught me this past christmas. i've searched the internet for any reference to it, but can't find it anywhere. apparently, he learned it from his grandfather, who learned it when he was a very young child from a very old slave in west virginia.

said in a low, monotone voice, you know, to spook the kids...

there was an a
there was a bo
there was an a bo
there was a miny
there was a bo miny
there was an a bo miny
there was a bell
there was a miny bell
there was a bo miny bell
there was an a bo miny bell
there was a bumble
there was a bell bumble
there was a miny bell bumble
there was a bo miny bell bumble
there was an a bo miny bell bumble
there was a bee
there was a bumble bee
there was a bell bumble bee
there was a miny bell bumble bee
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee
there was a with
there was a bee with
there was a bumble bee with
there was a bell bumble bee with
there was a miny bell bumble bee with
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee with
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee with
there was a his
there was a with his
there was a bee with his
there was a bumble bee with his
there was a bell bumble bee with his
there was a miny bell bumble bee with his
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee with his
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee with his
there was a tail
there was a his tail
there was a with his tail
there was a bee with his tail
there was a bumble bee with his tail
there was a bell bumble bee with his tail
there was a miny bell bumble bee with his tail
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail
there was a cut
there was a tail cut
there was a his tail cut
there was a with his tail cut
there was a bee with his tail cut
there was a bumble bee with his tail cut
there was a bell bumble bee with his tail cut
there was a miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut
there was an off
there was a cut off
there was a tail cut off
there was a his tail cut off
there was a with his tail cut off
there was a bee with his tail cut off
there was a bumble bee with his tail cut off
there was a bell bumble bee with his tail cut off
there was a miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut off
there was a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut off
there was an a bo miny bell bumble bee with his tail cut off

there was an abominable bumble bee with his tail cut off and stuck behind his ear!