Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe - Current Versions

Current Versions

A common modern version is:

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,

Catch a tiger by the toe.

If he hollers, let him go,

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

There are many common variations, such as replacing tiger with "piggy", "nigger" (when the word was still in common use), "tinker", "tigger", "chicken", "monkey", "baby", "spider", or a two-syllable name; and changing the verb in the third line to "screams", "wiggles", "squeals" or another verb.

Sometimes additional lines are added at the end of the rhyme to draw out or manipulate the selection process or make it seem less predetermined, such as:

My mother told me/says to pick the very best one,

And that is Y-O-U (alternative: And you are it! or "You dirty, dirty, dish rag, YOU!"

Or alternatively:

Pig snout you are out.

Occasionally the line copies 'Ip dip':

Not because you're dirty,

Not because you're clean,

Just because you kissed a boy/girl behind the magazine.