Nursery Rhymes

[PeterJB]

What are the origins of the popular nursery rhymes?

[andy hughes]

Some grow up from rhymes based around historical events - 'Ringa Ringa Roses' is a prime example - "Ringa ringa roses, a pocket full of posies, atishoo atishoo we all fall down!" is derived from symptoms of The Plague - the 'roses' refer to the red blotchy rash that sufferers developed, 'posies' were the bunches of dried flowers people carried in the belief that it kept The Plague away, the 'atishoo' is sneezing, believed to be another symptom, and 'we all fall down' is the inevitable death from the disease. A children's rhyme based in more sinister historical beliefs from the time.

[WendyW]

Try http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3041/ This site contains quite a few rhymes but you will have to be quick as it is due to close at the begining of November

[david niven]

Humptey Dumptey... was Charles I & after his great fall [having his head cut off] no amount of Kings horses or men could put him back together again. While on the civil war... Goosey goosey gander... Cromwells new model army actualy used a goose step march & did wander up stairs, downs stairs & even in ladies chambers, where if they found an old man who wouldn't say his prayers [ie a catholic priest] they would take him by the left leg [left footer = catholic] & throw him down the stairs, or much worse.

[Kit]

Look at this site - but hurry, sadly it will no longer be running after November 2002. Gives the origins of many nursery rhymes. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3041/

[FredPuli]

Many and various.The standard book of reference on this subject is The Oxford Book of Nursery Rhymes by I and P Opie published by the Oxford University Press. The Opies spent a lifetime researching the lore and language of schoolchildren and thir nursery rhymes and games.The book is particularly interesting on the various popular (and sometimes fanciful and false) explanations as well as giving, by reference to the earliest texts, some surprising meanings and references which were lost when the rhymes were made more 'suitable' for the Victorian nursery.