Eenie Meenie

The children's rhyme, Eenie Meenie, has been around in various forms since the 1850s or earlier. Some historians have associated the words "eenie meenie minie moe" with Celtic Druid counting words. Since many similar counting rhymes existed earlier and since that time, it is difficult to ascertain the exact origin of the modern rhyme.

Eenie, meenie, minie, moe

catch a tiger by the toe

if it hollers, let it go

eenie, meenie, minie, moe

Many alternative verses appear with this rhyme, especially after the third line. These verses are used by children when picking a person for an activity by alternately pointing to a different person in a group until the last syllable, at which point the person is either chosen or out, depending on the version.

Another controversial version of this poem substitutes the word nigger for the word tiger. Some believe that the modern version is a politically correct version of the more offensive version, but there is no clear supporting evidence. No versions are known to predate the oldest examples of non-offensive versions. It is also doubtful that the offensive version would have mutated into the "tiger" version in an era when political correctness was not an issue, or that it would have caught on so widely with few variations of similar popularity.

Residents of the southern United States, especially those who grew up before the Civil Rights Act are more likely to report having heard or grown up with the offensive version of the rhyme, while many others have never heard the offensive version and were not aware of its existence. There is no clear evidence of how many people are familiar with the offensive version, but it's safe to assume that most people who grew up since the 1960s have been taught the non-offensive version. This verse is in common usage in schools and religious organizations, and is not associated with racism by most users. However, the reader should be aware that some African Americans who are familiar with this rhyme may find it offensive due to the association with the racist verse, and care should be taken when using it.