What is your counting-out rhyme?

[u/DoomstalkerUser]

In German-speaking Switzerland, the one I've heard the most is "Azelle, bölle schele, chatz god uf Walliselle, chond si weder häi, hed si chrommi bäi, piff paff puff ond du bisch ehr- ond redlech doss", which roughly translates to "Counting up, peeling onions, cat goes to Wallisellen, she comes home again, she has crooked legs, piff paff puff and you're out frankly and honestly".

[u/fidelises]

The Icelandic rhyme is "Úllen dúllen doff, kikke lane koff, koffe lane bikke bane, úllen dúllen doff". It has no meaning and is absolute nonsense. Apparently, it's Nordic in origin.

[u/TheGoldenCowTV → u/fidelises]

Yeah it's basically the same in Swedish "Ole dole doff, kinke lane koff, koffe lane binke bane, ole dole doff"

[u/SalSomer → u/TheGoldenCowTV]

In Norwegian it’s «Ole dole doff, kinkliane koff, koffliane birkebane, Ole dole doff». Also, Donald Duck’s nephews are called Ole, Dole, and Doffen in Norwegian.

A slightly more common counting in Norwegian is this one, though:

Elle, melle

deg fortelle

Skipet går

ut i år

Rygg i rand

to i spann

Snipp, snapp, snute

du-er-ute!

What’s a little funny is that Snipp and Snapp are the Norwegian names for Chip and Dale. Apparently, Disney translators leaned heavily on children’s rhymes when translating.

[u/mr_greenmash → u/SalSomer]

du-er-ute!

på en liten silkepute