"X" Marks The Spot
Words & Music:
Traditional
MOTIONS FOR ALL VERSIONS:
The person chanting
performs the motions listed after each line on the back of another person. Do them lightly!
1. From KCH's
Childhood:
"X" marks the spot
(With your forefinger, trace an
"X")
With a dot, dot, dot,
(With same finger, lightly poke three
"dots" on their back)
And a dash, dash, dash,
(Now, trace three horizontal dashes, one
below the other)
And a big question mark!
(Trace a question mark on their back)
The water trickles up,
(With both hands, lightly stroke fingertips
upwards)
The water trickles down,
(Same as above, but move fingertips
downwards)
The water trickles all around.
(Now, move fingertips around in a circular
motion)
Crack!
(Pretend to crack an egg over the person's
head by knocking knuckles together.
Then, pretend to let egg cascade down by lightly touching their heads
with fingertips.)
2. From Correspondent
Susan's Childhood:
"X"
marks the spot
(With your forefinger,
trace an "X")
With a dot, dot,
dot,
(With same finger,
lightly poke three "dots" on their back)
And a big question
mark!
(Trace a question mark
on their back)
Crack an egg on
your head and the yolk runs down
(Lightly trickle
fingertips from crown of head down)
And the spider spins
a web that goes Ôround & Ôround & Ôround
(lightly tickle back in
circles)
And the chills run
up your spine!
(lightly tickle up
spine)
Gotcha!
3. From Correspondent
Alanna's Aussie Childhood:
"X" marks the spot
(With your forefinger, trace an
"X")
With a dot, dot, dot,
(With same finger, lightly poke three
"dots" on their back)
And a dash, dash, dash,
(Now, trace three horizontal dashes, one
below the other)
And a dagger in the back!
(Stab them in the back)
The blood running up,
(With both hands, lightly stroke fingertips
upwards)
The blood running down,
(Same as above, but move fingertips
downwards)
Creepy crawlies crawling
around.
(Now, tickle their head & ears like a
whole lot of spiders)
Crack!
(Pretend to crack an egg over the person's head
by knocking knuckles together.
Then, pretend to let egg cascade down by lightly touching their heads
with fingertips.)
4. From Correspondent
Kim's Childhood:
"X" marks the spot
(With your forefinger, trace an
"X")
With a dot, dot, dot,
(With same finger, lightly poke three
"dots" on their back)
And a dash, dash, dash,
(Now, trace three horizontal dashes, one
below the other)
And a pinch, pinch, pinch!
(softly of course!)
Up the body, down the body.
(fingers gently go up and down)
Stab in the back!
(gently pretend to stab)
Feel the spiders crawling all around.
(Now, tickle their back like a whole lot of
spiders)
Tight squeeze,
(hug tightly)
Cool breeze,
(blow gently on their back or neck)
Now you've got the shivers!