| (a | An example is found in the Ebo or Guinea Rhyme "Tree Frogs." |
| (a | |
| (b | |
| (a |
But in Negro Folk Rhymes two lines may divide the
Rhymed Cluster instead of one. An example of this is found in "Animal Fair," whose rhyming may be represented by the lettering
| (a |
| (a |
| (b |
| (b |
| (a |
IV c. The Supplemented Rhymed Clusters. They are well represented in Negro Rhymes. Some have a single supplement as in "Negroes Never Die," whose rhyming is lettered
| (a |
| (a |
| (a-x |
Some have double supplements as in "Frog Went a-Courting" whose rhyming is lettered
| (a-x |
| (a |
| (a-x |
Now Negroes did not retain, permanently, meaningless words in their Rhymes. The Rhymes themselves were "calls" and had meaning. The "sponses," such as "Holly Dink," "Jing-Jang," "Oh, fare you well," "'Tain't gwineter rain no more," etc., that had no meaning, died year after year and new "sponses" and songs came into existence.
Let us see what these permanently retained seemingly senseless Supplements mean.