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History through Nursery Rhymes

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Old King Cole

Old King Cole Was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe And he called for his bowl And he called for his fiddlers three! And every fiddler, he had a fine fiddle, And a very fine fiddle had he, "Tweedledee, tweedledee," said the        fiddlers three.

King Cole also known as Charactacus was a 3rd A.D. century Celtic king or a Briton (i.e., Welsh). He seized a camp from the invading Romans naming it Colchester or Cole's Camp. The city still bears his name.

Counting Rhymes

Hickory, dickory, dock! The mouse ran up the clock: The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock! Dickery, dickery, dare, The pig flew up in the air; The man in brown, Soon brought him down, Dickery, dicery, dare.

Nursery rhymes of this type keep the Celtic language alive which was spoken long before English in England. Some shepherds still count sheep hovera, covera, dik versus eight, nine, ten.

Tom Thumb

I had a little husband    no bigger than my thumb; I bought a little handkerchief    to wipe his little nose, And a pair of little garters    to tie his little hose. I bought a little horse    that galloped up and down; I bridled him and saddled him    and sent him out of town.

This nursery rhyme concerns the Scandinavian legend about a dwarf later said to have lived at King Arthur's court. Some say he has been buried in Lincoln Cathedral where visitors are shown his tiny gravestone. It is said to have originated in the 10th century from a Danish work on "Swain Tomling, a man no bigger than a thumb, who would be married to a woman three elss and three quarters long."

Little Bo-Peep

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them, Leave them alone, and they'll come home Bringing their tails behind them.

This nursery rhyme was known in 1364 reflecting England's sheep farms and great wool trade. However, the nursery rhyme is about Alice Causton as she gave short measure in ale. As a consequence of her act, she had to play "bo-peep" in a pillory. Shakespeare mentions Bo-Peep in King Lear.

Rhymes used for Fathers to trot children on their knees or feet

To Market, To Market (English) To market, to market, to buy a fat pig; Home again, home again, dancing a jig. To market, to market, to buy a fat hog; Home again, home again, jiggety-jog. To market, to market, to buy a plum bun; Home again, home again, market is done.   Jokeli (Swiss) Jokeli, can you really ride    Trot, trot, trot? Aye, over every green mountain side ---    Trot, trot, trot! Has your pony I pray had oats today? White horsie, click! White horsie, clack! You'll maybe throw Jokeli off your back! Jokeli kasch au ryte? Ride, Ride a Horsey (PA Dutch) Ride, ride a horsey, Everybody's gone away. Bring Dawdy home a pretzel When you come home today! Trot, trot, jolt! The farmer has a colt, The colt he runs away, The farmer falls, hooray! Bump!  Goes the farmer! So ride, so ride the children, When they still are wee; When they're older then of course They will ride upon a horse, Ride to lands beyond the seas, Where pretty maidens grow on trees! If I had thought of that before I'd have brought one to your door! Reite, reite, Gäuli

Ride Away (Norse) Ride, ride away, Our horsey's Dapple Gray, And Baby's on his back, O where shall we ride today? To the King's Castle And knock, knock, knock! Nobody home!  Nobody home! Only two little dogs are there, Lying together under the chair, One lttle dog says, "Woof!" The other says, "Woof, woof, woof!" ride, ride, ranke Go to Bethlehem (Spanish) Get up, little horsey, Go to Bethlehem; Tomorrow there's a feast day, Next day feast again! Get up, little horsey, To the fair in town; Do not stumble, horsey, Or I'll tumble down! Get up, little horsey, To Bethlehem go straight; Hurry, hurry, hury, Or we'll be too late! Get up, little horsey, To Bethlehem with you; There we'll see the Virgin And the Christ-Child, too. arre, cabhallito vamous á Belén

Jack & Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after.

This rhyme is at least as old as the Younger Edda (Norse, 13th century) telling of Hjuki and Bill when carrying a bucket of water were taken up to the sky where you can still see them in the moon.

Henry V

Old Woman There was an old woman tossed    up in a basket, Seventy times as high as the moon, And where she was going,    I couldn't but ask it; For in her hand she carried a broom. "Old woman, old woman, old woman,"    quoth I, "Whither, Oh whither, Oh whither,    so high?" "To sweep the cobwebs out of the sky! "And I'll be with you by and by." Harry the Great So vast is the prowess of Harry the Great, He'll pluck a hair from the pale fased moon; Or a lion familiarly take by the tooth, And lead him about as you lead a baboon. All princes and potentates under the sun, Through fear into corners and holes away     run; While no danger nor dread his swift    progress retards For he deals with kingdoms as we do our   cards! King of France The King of France went up the hill With twenty-thousand men; The King of France came down the hill And ne'er went up again.

Old Woman 15th century English mocked Henry V as he set out to conquer France. He is the old woman in this nursery rhyme since Henry V is setting out on an absurd and impossible mission. Harry the Great and King of France After King Harry's incredible victory at Agincourt where Harry took the King of France along with the nobility as prisoners and routed the whole French army with a mere handful of men, the Old Woman rhyme changed to these two rhymes.

Pussy Cat

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been? I've been to London to see the Queen. Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there? I frightened a little mouse under the chair.

The queen is Elizabeth I

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses, and all the king's men, Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again.

The unrepairable fall of Humpty Dumpty is a jibe at King John as he was forced to sign the Magna Carta --- a charter of liberty --- in 1215 at Runneymead.

Little Jack Horner

Little Jack Horner Sat in the corner, Eating his Christmas pie; He put in his thumb, And pulled out a plumb, And said, "What a good boy am I !"

Jack lived during the reign of England's Henry VIII. The plum he pulled out was a fine esate he received from the lands Henry VIII seized from the church.

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds, Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the King? The King was in the counting house, Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlor, Eating bread and honey. The Maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes; Down came a blackbird, And snapped off her nose!

This rhyme was already an old favorite in the days of Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare.

Simple Simon

Simple Simon met a pie-man, Going to the fair, Said Simple Simon to the pie-man, "Let me taste your ware." Said the pie-man to Simple Simon: "Show me first your penny." Said Simple Simon to the pie-man: "Indeed, I haven't any." Simple Simon went a-fishing, For to catch a whale; But all the water he could find Was in his mother's pail!

Another rhyme of Queen Elizabeth I's time which were sold in old chap books at country fairs. These old chap books have given us most of our old rhymes. They were carried about by wandering peddlers or chap-men. These chap-men sold not only the chap books but buttons, pins, jewelry and other things caught attention by singing a song or dancing a jig

Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?

Mother, may I go out to swim? Yes, my darling daughter, Hang your clothes on a hickory limb, But don't go near the water !

This is from a 6th century jest book. It seems odd to think minstrels were singing this rhyme with dignity to courtly listeners in castles.

Mary Had A Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go, It followed her to school one day, Which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play, To see a lamb in school.

Mary Sawyer's lamb followed her to the Redstone School House (Massachusetts) around 1820. Also, Mrs. Sarah J. Hale and John Roulstone both claim this nursery rhyme song.

Peddler From Connecticut

I'm a peddler, I'm a peddler, I'm a peddler from Connecticut, I'm a peddler, I'm a peddler, And don't you want to buy?

Connecticut peddlers were welcomed by farm wives in New England and the pioneer territory west to the Ohio. They carried clocks, thread, buttons, beads, and seeds.

Plenty of Good Peanuts

The man who has plenty of good peanuts And giveth his neighbor none, He sha'n't have any of my peanuts When his peanuts are gone.

This New England song was popular when New England was known for baked beans, codfish, fishing fleets, and had trading ship to China and India.

Three Jolly Sailor Boys

Here come three jolly, jolly sailor boys Just lately come for shore; They spend their time in a merry, merry way Just as they did before !

From all accounts this seems to have originated in Maryland. It is from the days of the clipper ships, the fastest boats on the seas that sailed around Cape Horn, China and India

Ohio River Boatman's Song

The boatman he's a lucky man ! No one can do as the boatman can; The boatmen dance and the boatmen sing, The boatman is up to everything ! Hi-O, away we go, Floating down the river on the O-hi-O !

These flatboats boatmen went on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Steamboats replaced the flatboats around 1830.

Over the Hill (Kentucky mountains)

Over the hill to feed my sheep Over the hill to Charley Over the hill to feed my sheep On buckwheat cakes and barley

This nursery rhyme keeps the memory of Bonny Prince Charley alive.

Where Has My Little Dog Gone (American-German)

Where, O where has my little dog gone, O where and O where can he be, With his hair cut short and his tail cut long O where O where can he be?

Turkey in the Straw (American rural song)

As I came down the new-cut road, Met Mr. Bullfrong, met Miss Toad, And Every time Miss Toad would sing, Old Bullfrong cut a pigeon-wing ! Turkey in the hay, Turkey in the straw, Roll 'em up and twist 'em up A high tuck-a haw, And hit 'em up a tune Called Turkey in the Straw ! I came to the river and I couldn't get across Paid five dollars for an old blind hoss Wouldn't go ahead, nor he wouldn't stand still So he went up and down like an old sawmill

Barn dances in the South and Mid-west would usually dance a reel to this song as the fiddlers played.

King Dagobert (French)

King Dagobert once wore His breeches turned hindside before. Said Eloi, the friar: "Oh, my King and Sire, Those breeches on you, Are all wrongside to!" The King said: "You don't say!" Then I'll turn them the other way!"       -- Le bon roi Dagobert

7th century King Dagobert was the only active ruler among the French "Do-Nothing Kings". The "Do-Nothing Kings" were finally deposed by Pepin the Short, Mayor of the Palace and father of Charlemagne. Apparently, King Dagobert's throne can still be seene at St. Denis.

Ring Around a Rosey

Ring around a rosey, A pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes We all fall down. alternate way Ring around a rosey, A pockety full of posies, Achoo, Achoo We all fall down.

This nursery rhyme is about the bubonic plague known as the Black Death. Medical thought at the time was that flowers or posies would purify the air of its bad humors. "Ring around a rosey" refers to a pinkish circle that would form on a victims body prior to turning black. "Ashes, ashes" refers to burning those things that belonged to a person that had died of the plague. The alternative, "Achoo, Achoo", refers to sneezing which is said to occur just prior to death. "We all fall down" relates to what most folk experienced if they fell victim to the bubonic plague --- death.

Three Blind Mice

Three blind mice, three blind mice See how they run, see how they run, They all run after the farmer's wife Who cut off their tails with a carving knife Did you ever see such a sight in your life? As three blind mice.

Queen Mary or Bloody Mary is the farmer's wife in this song. Apparently, three men of the cloth went to see Lady Jane Grey believing she was the queen of England. Well, when Mary took the throne she was not pleased and caused to have their heads cut off.

London Bridge

London Bridge is broken (or falling) down Broken down, broken down, London Bridge is broken down, My fair lady. Build it up with wood and clay, Wood and clay, wood and clay, Built it up with wood and clay, My fair lady. Wood and clay will wash away, Wash away, wash away, Wood and clay will wash away, My fair lady. Build it up with bricks and mortar, Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar, Build it up with bricks and mortar, My fair lady. Bricks and mortar will not stay, Will not stay, will not stay, Bricks and mortar will not stay, My fair lady. Build it up with iron and steel, Iron and steel, iron and steel, Build it up with iron and steel, My fair lady. Iron and steel bend and bow, Bend and bow, bend and bow, Iron and steel bend and bow, My fair lady. Build it up with silver and gold, Silver and gold, silver and gold, Build it up with silver and gold, My fair lady. Silver and gold be stolen away, Stolen away, stolen away, Silver and gold be stolen away, My fair lady. Set a man to watch all night, Watch all night, watch all night, Set a man to watch all night, My fair lady. Suppose the man should fall asleep, Fall asleep, fall asleep, Suppose the man should fall asleep, My fair lady. Give him a pipe to smoke all night, Smoke all night, smoke all night, Give him a pipe to smoke all night, My fair lady.

This nursery rhyme is said to be about the actual destruction of London Bridge by King Olaf (early 11th century). The earliest versions has a man watching the bridge. (You can add new verses to London Bridge ... London Bridge has been sold, London Bridge is in Arizona, Yankee Doodle keeps the bridge up, etc.)

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