Children of Africa

by James B. Baird

It is you see an African finger rhyme. You have all one of your own, but I am sure in it you never call your fore-finger a plate-scraper, nor your thumb an old fool. But if you had to eat without spoons and knives and forks, and wanted to make your plate very clean you would have to use your fore-finger a good deal, and you would then understand why the black children call it a plate-scraper.

This is another finger rhyme for counting up all the fingers:—

“Mbewa zagwa;

Zagweranji?

Zagwera mapira;

Ndikazikumbe;

Ndiopa uluma.

“Mzanga Likongwa,

Ali kukaku;