e, when they bore some meaning, and still a greater accomplishment
to sing the calls both in rhyme and with meaning. This led each
individual to rhyme his calls as far as possible because leaders were
invited to lead songs during an evening's entertainment, largely in
accordance with their ability, and thus those desiring to lead were
compelled to make attainment in both rhyme and meaning. Now, the reader
will notice under "Holly Dink," heading "(b)," "I sh[=o]' loves Miss
Donie." This is a part of the opening line of our Negro Rhyme, "Likes
and Dislikes." I would convey the thought to the reader that this whole
Rhyme, and any other Negro Rhyme which would fit into a 2/4 music
measure, could be, and was used by the Play Song leader in singing the
calls of "Holly Dink." Thus a leader would lead such a song; and by
using one whole Rhyme after another, succeed in rhyming the calls for a
quarter of an hour. If his Rhymes "gave out," he used rhythmic prose
calls; and since these did not need to have meaning, his store was
unlimited. Just as any Rhyme which could be fitted into a 2/4 music
measure would be used with "Holly Dink," so any Rhyme which could be
fitted into a 4/4 measure would be used with the "'Tain't Gwineter Rain
No M[=o]'." Illustrations given under "(b)" and "(c)" under the last
mentioned song are--"Promises of Freedom," and "Hawk and Buzzard."

Since all Negro Songs with a few exceptions were written in 4/4 measures
and 2/4 measures, and Negro rhymed "calls" were also written in the same
way, the rhymed "calls" which may have originated with one song were
transferred to, and used with other songs. _Thus the rhymed "calls"
becoming detached for use with any and all songs into which they could
be fitted, gave rise to the multitude of Negro Folk Rhymes, a small
fragment of which multitude is recorded in our collection._ Negro Dances
and Dance Rhymes were both constructed in 2/4 and 4/4 measures, and the
Rhymes were propagated for that same reason. Rhymes, once detached from
their original song or dance, were learned, and often repeated for mere
pastime, and thus they were transmitted to others as unit compositions.

We have now seen how detached rhymed "calls" made our Negro Folk Rhymes.
Next let us consider how and why whole little "poems" arose in a Play
Song. One will notice in reading Negro Folk Rhymes that the larger
number of them tell a little story or give some little comic
description, or some little s