“Chickee Chickee Ma Craney Crow (Hawks and Chickens)”

Description

"Chickee chickee ma craney crow, Went to the well to wash my big toe, When I got there one of my black-eyed chickens was gone, What time o' day is it, old witch?" The witch answers, and eventually is allowed to catch one of the chickens circling her

References

  1. Randolph 570, "Chickee Chickee Ma Craney Crow" (3 texts)
  2. MHenry-Appalachians, p. 244, (no title) (1 short text, beginning "Chickamy chickamy crannie crow" and in which the singer's "clillun," not her chickens, is missing; it is a cumulative version in which the witch counts through one o'clock, two o'clock, etc.)
  3. Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 138, (no title) (1 fragment, with the first line "Chickamy, chickamy, crany crow")
  4. Roud #7661
  5. BI, R570

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1903 (Newell)
Found in: US(So)