Tolkien makes for terrible counting rhymes

[thanate]

We are experiencing a period of facial exploration, which is to say that the Megatherium thinks it's absolutely hilarious to stick her little grabby fingers in other people's mouths and eyeballs. I was sitting back on the couch with her on my lap this morning, which is presently the best way to ensure face-to-face conversation without her wandering off mid-sentence, and reciting a handful of the odd bits of rhyme that hang out in my head. I had just got to "nine for mortal men, doomed to die" when she leaned forward and got my nose in her mouth. (Cute though this may be, I can't say I recommend the experience.)

Admittedly, as counting rhymes go that one's kind of terrible. No even numbers, no five, and they're not even in order.