<P> "A Tisket A Tasket" is a nursery rhyme first recorded in America in the late nineteenth century . It was used as the basis for a very successful and highly regarded 1938 recording by Ella Fitzgerald . It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13188 . </P> <P> The rhyme was first noted in the United States in 1938 as a children's rhyming game . It was sung while children danced in a circle . One of the number ran on the outside of the circle and dropped a handkerchief . The nearest child would then pick it up and chase the dropper . If caught the dropper either was kissed, joined the circle, or had to tell the name of their sweetheart . An early noted version had the lyrics: </P> <Dl> <Dd> A-tisket a-tasket </Dd> <Dd> A green and yellow basket </Dd> <Dd> I wrote a letter to my love </Dd> <Dd> And on the way I dropped it, </Dd> <Dd> I dropped it, I dropped it, </Dd> <Dd> And on the way I dropped it . </Dd> <Dd> A little boy he picked it up </Dd> <Dd> And put it in his pocket . </Dd> </Dl>

I sent a letter to my love nursery rhyme