The hidden truth in Nursery Rhymes

As many of us know, Nursery Rhymes have been around for century's, what you might not know, however is there purpose. Many of our beloved tunes house within their verses, key information, bearing historical significance, and moral storys about life. As I researched into this in more detail, I discovered a rich abundance of Nursery rhythms that fall into this trend, below is a list of songs I remember from my childhood, with there true origins unveiled.

Ring-a-ring o' roses

"Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down"

" The words to the Ring around the rosy children's ring game have their origin in English history. The historical period dates back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague) or even before when the first outbreak of the Plague hit England in the 1300's. The symptoms of the plague included a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin (Ring around the rosy). Pockets and pouches were filled with sweet smelling herbs ( or posies) which were carried due to the belief that the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The term "Ashes Ashes" refers to the cremation of the dead bodies! The death rate was over 60% and the plague was only halted by the Great Fire of London in 1666 which killed the rats which carried the disease which was transmitting via water sources. The English version of "Ring around the rosy" replaces Ashes with (A-tishoo, A-tishoo) as violent sneezing was another symptom of the disease. We recommend the following site for comprehensive information regarding the Bubonic Plague. - http://www.rhymes.org.uk/ring_around_the_rosy.htm

Seesaw Margery Daw

"Seesaw Margery Daw,

Johnny shall have a new master,

He shall earn but a penny a day,

Because he can't work any faster."

The seesaw is the oldest 'ride' for children, easily constructed from logs of different sizes. The words of "Seesaw Marjorie Daw" reflect children playing on a see-saw and singing this rhyme to accompany their game. There was no such person that we can identify who had the name Marjorie Daw and we therefore make the assumption that this was purely used to rhyme with the words 'seesaw' i.e "Seesaw Marjory Daw". The last three lines of "Seesaw Margery Daw" appear to reflect the use of child labour in work houses where those with nowhere else to live would be forced to work for a pittance (a penny a day) on piece work (because he can't work any faster). The words of "Seesaw Margery Daw" might be used by a spiteful child to taunt another implying his family were destined for the workhouse.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row"

"The Mary alluded to in this traditional English nursery rhyme is reputed to be Mary Tudor, or Bloody Mary, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Queen Mary was a staunch Catholic and the garden referred to is an allusion to graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared to continue to adhere to the Protestant faith - Protestant martyrs. The silver bells and cockle shells referred to in the Nursery Rhyme were colloquialisms for instruments of torture. The 'silver bells' were thumbscrews which crushed the thumb between two hard surfaces by the tightening of a screw. The 'cockleshells' were believed to be instruments of torture which were attached to the genitals. The 'maids' were a device to behead people called the Maiden. Beheading a victim was fraught with problems. It could take up to 11 blows to actually sever the head, the victim often resisted and had to be chased around the scaffold.

Pussycat pussycat

"Pussycat pussycat, where have you been?

I've been up to London to visit the Queen.

Pussycat pussycat, what did you there?

I frightened a little mouse under her chair

MEOWW!"

The origins of the "Pussycat pussycat" rhyme dates back to the history of 16th century Tudor England. One of the waiting ladies of Queen Elizabeth 1st had an old cat which roamed throughout Windsor castle. On one particular occasion the cat ran beneath the throne where its tail brushed against the Queen's foot, startling her. Luckily 'Good Queen Bess' had a sense of humour and decreed that the cat could wander about the throne room, on condition it kept it free of mice! - http://www.rhymes.org.uk/pussycat_pussycat.htm

Pat a cake, Pat a cake

"Pat a cake, Pat a cake, baker's man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Pat it and prick it and mark it with a 'B',

And put it in the oven for Baby and me,

For baby and me,

Put it in the oven for Baby and me."

It is highly likely that this rhyme refers to the baking of bread in a communal oven, a practice common in England in the middle ages and early modern era.

Rock a bye baby

"Rock a bye baby on the tree top,

When the wind blows the cradle will rock,

When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all."

The words and lyrics to the "Rock a bye baby" rhyme are reputed to reflect the observations of a young pilgrim boy in America who had seen Native Indian mothers suspend a birch bark cradle from the branches of a tree. Thus enabling the wind to rock the cradle and the child to sleep! This rhyme is also known as "Hush a bye baby" which is the correct title. The confusion regarding these lyrics occurred due to the popularity of the old Al Jolson classic song "Rock a bye my baby with a Dixie melody!"

The story of the Nursery Rhyme relates to a family who lived in a tree house which was formed within a massive Yew tree. The Yew Tree concerned was believed to be nearly 2000 years old. The family were charcoal burners who lived in Shining Cliff Woods, Ambergate, Derbyshire in the 1700's. The ancient occupation of Charcoal Burning would be conducted by people who actually lived in the woods. Just like like this family. Their names were Kate and Luke Kennyon and they lived in what was locally called the 'Betty Kenny Tree' - a colloquialism for Kate Kenyon. The Kenyons had 8 children and a tree bough was hollowed out to act as a cradle for their children! Shining Cliff Woods was owned at the time by the Hurt family. The Kenyons were favoured by the Hurts who commissioned the artist James Ward of the Royal Academy to paint their portraits. The Yew tree still exists but was severely fire damaged by vandals in the 1930s. - http://www.rhymes.org.uk/rock_a_bye_baby.htm

Lavender's Blue

"Lavender's blue,

Dilly diilly*,

Lavender's green,

When I am king,

Dilly dilly,

You shall be queen.

Call up your men,

Dilly dilly,

Set them to work,

Some to the plow,

Dilly dilly,

Some to the cart.

Some to make hay,

Dilly dilly,

Some to cut corn,

While you and I,

Dilly dilly,

Keep ourselves warm.

Lavender's green,

Dilly dilly,

Lavender's blue,

If you love me,

Dilly dilly,

I will love you."

"The earliest surviving version of the song is in a broadside printed in England between 1672 and 1685, under the name Diddle Diddle, Or The Kind Country Lovers. The broadside indicates it is to be sung to the tune "Lavenders Green", implying that a tune by that name was already in existence. The lyrics printed in the broadside are fairly bawdy, celebrating sex and drinking."

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,

Wagging their tails behind them.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep,

And dreamt she heard them bleating;

But when she awoke, she found it a joke,

For they were still a-fleeting.

Then up she took her little crook,

Determined for to find them;

She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,

For they'd left their tails behind them.

It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray

Into a meadow hard by,

There she espied their tails side by side,

All hung on a tree to dry.

She heaved a sigh and wiped her eye,

And over the hillocks went rambling,

And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should,

To tack each again to its lambkin."

The Little Bo Peep rhyme builds the picture of a young shepherdess and the advice given to her by someone more experienced! It is interesting that the name of Little Bo Peep was derived from the derivative of the words bleat and sheep! There is no specific relevance to events in history for the origins of the Little Bo Peep rhyme. The morale of the words in the song are that one must take responsibility of falling asleep or face the consequences. -http://whosyoureditor.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/day-three-of-truth-behind-nursery.html

Jack and Jill went up the hill

!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.

Up Jack got, and home did trot,

As fast as he could caper,

He went to bed to mend his head,

With vinegar and brown paper."

The roots of the story, or poem, of Jack and Jill are in France. Jack and Jill referred to are said to be King Louis XVI - Jack -who was beheaded (lost his crown) followed by his Queen Marie Antoinette - Jill - (who came tumbling after). The words and lyrics to the Jack and Jill poem were made more acceptable as a story for children by providing a happy ending! The actual beheadings occurred in during the Reign of Terror in 1793. The first publication date for the lyrics of Jack and Jill rhyme is 1795 - which ties-in with the history and origins. The Jack and Jill poem is also known as Jack and Gill - the mis-spelling of Gill is not uncommon in nursery rhymes as they are usually passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. - http://www.rhymes.org.uk/jack_and_jill.htm

The Crooked Sixpence

"There was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile,

He found a crooked sixpence beside a crooked stile;

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,

And they all lived together in a little crooked house."

The origin of the Nursery Rhymes "There was a crooked man" is in British historyThe content of "There was a crooked man" poem have a basis in history. The origin of this poem originates from the English Stuart history of King Charles 1. The crooked man is reputed to be the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie. The General signed a Covenant securing religious and political freedom for Scotland. The 'crooked stile' referred to in "There was a crooked man" being the border between England and Scotland. 'They all lived together in a little crooked house' refers to the fact that the English and Scots had at last come to an agreement. The words reflect the times when there was great animosity between the English and the Scots. The word crooked is pronounced as 'crookED' the emphasis being placed upon the 'ED' in the word. This was common in olde England and many references can be found in this type of pronunciation in the works of William Shakespeare (1564-1616)