A year or so ago Karen shared a childhood rhyme with me. Here’s what she said:
When I was little my Nanna use to recite this little rhyme to me…
I climbed up stimber stammer,
I looked over Lumber Leigh
I saw Tom Tricken Tracken
In the land of Wicken Whacken
I told Hucken Bucken
You go chase Tom Tricken Tracken out of the land of Wicken Whacken.
The rhyme is about a child, a rabbit, and a dog. There are motions of climbing the stairs, looking over the land and telling the dog. We loved doing the rhyme. I’ve tried over these many years to find where it comes from, with no luck.
Growing up in the 1950’s my brother and I would ask Nanna to tell us about Hucken Bucken with all the hand motions. I’ve searched over the years to find its origin, with no luck.
There are those special gifts that stay in our memories, like Granny’s little house, and my Tiny Tears Doll, that I still have, but it’s the traditions and the little rhymes that we pass down that continue through the ages. Long after the physical things have gone.
I’ve never heard the rhyme Karen’s Nanna used to say, but the hand motions remind me of the game going on a bear hunt one plays with children.
I like Karen’s thoughts about handing down things like rhymes to our children and grandchildren and want to share the old rhyme with my grandsons.
Last week Michell shared her connection with a variation of Karen’s rhyme.
Hi I wanted to reach out to you about the poem “Tom Tricken Tracken.” I grew up in SC and my Pa was from Walterboro SC his whole life he told me a story similar to yours. I am going to share it with you.
“I clumb a Sprigum Spragum Tree, I looked over the world of Wigum Wagum, saw Tom Toe TigumTagum in the world of Wigum Wagum, sent back to the house to get my bombbo Bigum Bagum to blow Tom Toe Tigum Tagum out the world of Wigum Wagum.”
As you stated I can’t find it’s origins either. My Pa nor his family ever went to The Appalachia Mountains or area. So apparently it must come from some early English settlers. I Hope this makes your day to know that there are others who have a similar history of the poem.
I love Michell’s version too! Many old songs, rhymes, and sayings have variations to them. Often they show up in different parts of the country and sometimes they show up within a few miles of each other.
Sorry there was no post yesterday. We had a bad storm that knocked out our power, cell, and internet. There was no damage here at our house, amazingly the corn wasn’t totally blown down, only a few stalks. Other parts of our county were hit hard with downed trees, power lines, and even a small landslide. My brother Steve and his wife are still without power.
Last night’s video: Celebrating in July – Matt Got His Orange Bread.
Tipper
Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox
