Nursery Rhymes

It is generally believed that there is a relationship between many nursery rhymes and British history. Another view is that one can be reasonably confident that any story linking a nursery rhyme to a historical event or historical personage is most probably spurious and a form of popular myth. Consider both points of view as you read the explanations for the twenty-five rhymes included here. You will see that, for many of them, there are two explanations – some even more. Regardless of whether or not there is a documented relationship, I hope that you will enjoy reading of the various theories. For further research, a useful reference book is The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes.

A frog he would a-wooing go, …

This refers to one of the French suitors of Queen Elizabeth I, the Duke of Anjou, who was unsuccessful in his suit.

As I was going by Charing Cross, …

‘Black,’ as it is used here, usually referred to the colour of the hair in the seventeenth century. But, in this case, it could refer to the blackness of the tarnished statue of King Charles I.

Baa, baa, black sheep, …

It was a complaint against the hardships caused to the poor by the enclosures of land for sheep farming in the days of King Edward VI.

Another explanation is that, in the wool trade, the division of the bags is said to refer to the export tax on wool imposed in 1275.

Curly locks, Curly locks …

It is believed that the original Curly locks was King Charles II. No other information is available.

Flour of England, fruit of Spain, …

One theory is that this tells of the proposal of Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain. The two met in a downpour of rain. The Queen publicly sent Philip a ring, which symbolized the marriage.

Another theory is that the rhyme is a riddle, the answer being plum pudding.

Georgie, Georgie, pudding and pie, …

One legend is that this refers to King George IV because of his greed, his flirtations, and his fear of reforms.

Other guesses as to whom this was include the names of King George I, Duke of Buckingham (George Villiers), and King Charles II.

Hark, hark, the dogs do bark …

King James I was laughed at for the favour he showed to many poor Scotsmen who accompanied him to London.

There is a suggestion that this speaks of the condition in Queen Elizabeth’s day when wandering beggars were so numerous that they were becoming a menace to society.
A tradition states that the beggars were Dutchmen who accompanied King William III to England. ‘Beggars’ is believed to have been a common epithet for the Dutch at that time.

Hey diddle diddle, …

Probably the best-known nonsense verse in the language, a considerable amount of nonsense has been written about it. Many of the origin theories can be discounted. A few of these include such names as Lady Katherine Grey and the Earls of Hertford and Leicester; Papists priests; Katherine of Aragon; Catherine, wife of Peter the Great; and Caton, governor of Calais.

Hickory, dickory, dock. …

This is said to refer to Richard Cromwell, who could not preserve the Republic created by his father or prevent the restoration of the monarchy.

There is also the account of Sir Walter Scott telling a little girl a story which included a rhyme very similar to this one.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall …

This refers to the days when the barons struggled with King John at Runnymede and toppled him from his seat of power.

One of several other explanations is that the original Humpty was King Richard III.

Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top, …

It has been stated that this may serve as a warning to the proud and ambitious, who climb so high that they generally fall at last. Imaginations have been stretched to give the rhyme significance.

One explanation is that it is a lampoon on the British royal line in the time of King James II.

Jack and Jill went up the hill …

Jack referred to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and Jill was Gill, known as Bishop Tarbes. The poem refers to their attempt, on behalf of King Henry VIII, to mend relations with France. When they failed and war broke out, Wolsey was forced to raise taxes to pay for the war.

Another theory is that it comes from Scandanavian myths.

Jack Spratt could eat no fat …

This is supposed to note the opposite dispositions of King Charles I and his wife, Queen Henrietta.

It may also refer to Archdeacon Pratt, who was of small size.

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn …

Boy Blue is Cardinal Wolsey who was ‘found asleep’ by King Henry VIII and thrown from favour because he could not win the King’s divorce for him.

It is also pointed out that Wolsey was the son of an Ipswich butcher, and, as a boy, undoubtedly looked after his fatheer’s livestock.

Little Jack Horner sat in a corner …

This satirizes the seizing of the lands of the English monasteries. The plum is a rich slice of monastic land. Those who ate the Christmas pie would support the Reformation of King Henry VIII.

Another legend states that the original Jack Horner was a steward to Richard Whiting, last of the abbots of Glastonbury. The abbott sent his steward to King Henry VIII with a Christmas gift – a pie in which were hidden title deeds to twelve manors. Apparently, Jack opened the pie and removed one deed.

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet …

This refers to Mary, Queen of Scots, as Little Miss Muffet and the Presbyterian preacher, John Knox, as the spider.

There is also the suggestion that Miss Muffet was Patience, daughter of the entomologist, Dr. Thomas Muffet, who had a great admiration for spiders.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, …

Catholic writers feel it to be a lament for the persecution of the Roman church. Protestant writers feel it to be a lament at the reinstatement of the Roman church in England.

Popular tradition says that it was Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic, who displeased the Protestant John Knox.

Needles and pins, needles and pins, …

This commemorates the troubles that King Henry VIII had with his six wives.

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard …

This describes Cardinal Wolsey’s efforts to compensate himself for loss of the King’s favour by securing various offices and titles.

A tradition states that the original Mother Hubbard was housekeeper at the house of the future brother-in-law of the composer of the rhyme.

Simple Simon met a pieman, …

This refers to King James I, who sold honours and titles in return for contributions to the royal treasury.

There is a belief that Simon may have have been a name of a simpleton for several centuries, perhaps arising from the stories of Simon Peter.

Sing a song of sixpence, …

When Henry James Pye was appointed Poet Laureate in 1790, his first ode, a very poor one, was in honour of King George III’s birthday. It was full of allusions to the ‘vocal groves and the feathered choir.’ George Steevens immediately punned, ‘And when the PYE was opened, the birds began to sing; was not that a dainty dish to set before the king?’

There are numerous other theories about the meaning of the rhyme.

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, …

This woman has been identified with several ladies for little reason other than the size of their families. These include Queen Caroline, wife of King George II, who had eight children.

Three blind mice, see how they run. …

An explanation for this round is that the mice were Lattimer, Ridley, and Cranmer, Protestant clergymen who died at the stake. The farmer’s wife was Queen Mary I.

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig. …

This refers to Archbishop Cranmer’s advice to King Henry VIII to divorce Queen Catherine and to take for himself treasures of the Church.

It is also a rhyme involving a children’s hiding game.

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, …

This name, as may be seen in Jacobite songs, was a nickname for King William III. The Jacobites were a group who opposed the replacing of King James II with this king.

(This page was updated in December 2012.)