_R_örd _R_ütjer; _S_ab _S_ütjer; _S_onk _S_tein; _T_hur _O_rdert; _W_ögen _w_uhlet; _Y_ng _Z_uhlet. From Ditmarschen we have the following (199. 290):-- 1. From Süderstapel in Stapelholm: _A-B_eeter, _C-D_eeter, _E-_E_f_ter, _G-H_ater, _I-K_ater, _L-_E_m_der, _N-O_ter, _P_eter Rüster sien Swester harr Büxsen von Manchester, harr'n Kleed vun Kattun, weer Köfft bi Jud'n (Peter Rüster his sister has breeches from Manchester, has a dress of cotton, who buys of Jews). 2. From Tönningstedt and Feddringen: _A-B_eeter, _C-D_eeter, _E-E_fter, _G-H_ater, _J-K_ater, _L-_E_m_der, _N-O_ter, _P-_K_u_ter, _L-_E_s_ter, _T-U_ter, _V-W_eeter, _X-Z_eeter. In Polish we have a rather curious rhyme (199. 260): _A_dam _B_abkie _C_ukier _D_al, _E_wa _F_igi _G_ryzla; _H_anko, _J_eko, _K_arol _L_erch _N_osi _O_rla _P_apa _R_uskigo (Adam to the old woman sugar gave, Eve figs nibbled; Hanko, Jeko, Karol, and Lerch carry the eagle of the Ruthenian priest). Another variant runs: _A_dam _B_abi _C_ucker _d_aje _E_wa _f_igi _g_rizi _H_ala, _i_dzie _K_upic' _l_ala _m_ama _n_ie _p_ozwala (199. 150). At Elberfeld, according to O. Schell, the following rhyme was in use about the middle of this century (199. 42): _A_braham _B_öckmann; _C_epter _D_ickmann; _E_ngel _F_uawenkel; _G_retchen _H_ahn; _I_saak _K_reier; _L_ottchen _M_eyer; _N_ikolas _O_lk; _P_itter _Q_uack; _R_udolf _S_imon; _T_ante _U_hler; _V_ater _W_ettschreck; _X_erxes _Y_ork. From Leipzig, L. Fränkel reports the following as given off in a singing tone with falling rhythm:-- B a ba, b e be, b i bi--babebi; b o bo, b u bu--bobu; ba, be, bi, bo, bu--babebibobu. C a ca (pron. _za,_ not _ka_), c e ce, c i ci --caceci; c o co, c u cu--cocu; ca, ce, ci, co, cu-cacecicocu, etc. From various parts of Ditmarschen come these rhymes:-- A-B ab, | A-B ab, Mus sitt in't Schapp, | Mouse sits in the cupboard, Kater darfår, | Cat in frount, Mak apen de Dår. | Open the door. These child-rhymes and formulae from North Germany find their cognates in our own nursery-rhymes and explanatory letter-lists, which take us back to the very beginnings of alphabetic writing. An example is the familiar:-- "A was an Archer that shot at a frog, B was a Butcher that had a big dog," etc., etc. _Letter-Formulæ._