Date:    Thu, 12 Mar 1998 08:39:13 -0500
<br>From:    "Dennis R. Preston"  preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]PILOT.MSU.EDU 
<br>Subject: Re: Ring around the rosie(s)
<br>
<br>AHA!
<br>
<br>This comes closer to the Louisville variant ("Ole Ole Olsen free"), in
<br>which we apparently envisioned the freeing of an imprisoned sterotypical
<br>scandinavian, although, as suggested, we were not junior etymologizers.
<br>
<br>This "come in free" from hide-and-seek cry had nothing to do with flinging
<br>a ball over a house or shed (which was "Anne-Annie over"; we were big on
<br>names apparently).
<br>
<br>dInIs
<br>
<br> My growing-up neighborhood had yet another v ariant--we said "allie allie
<br> olsen free" (and never stopped to wonder what it meant, I"m sure).
<br> 
<br>   Beverly Flanigan wrote:
<br>     explained or not.)  Ditto with "Allie allie in/oxen free"--why these
<br> words?
<br> 
<br> And Mike Salovesh said: 
<br>   said when I was growing up -- "outs in free", i.e., those who had not
<br> 
<br> Susanmarie Harrington                                sharrin[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]iupui.edu
<br> Indiana University-Purdue University,Indianapolis    (317) 278-1153
<br> Dept. of English, 425 University Boulevard           fax: (317) 274-2347
<br> Indianapolis IN 46202-5140
<br>
<br>Dennis R. Preston
<br>Department of Linguistics and Languages
<br>Michigan State University
<br>East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
<br>preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]pilot.msu.edu
<br>Office: (517)353-0740
<br>Fax: (517)432-2736
<br>