“Rock-A-Bye Baby”

“Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetops,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.”

There are several supposed origins to this story, but what it is clear is that when a young pilgrim sailed to America, he observed the Native American women rocking their babies in birch-bark cradles, often suspended from trees. The breeze through the branches would rock the baby to sleep. The branches holding the cradle, however, were often susceptible to breakage, causing the cradle to fall and injure the baby. This particular nursery rhyme, however, is rumored to have been written after a terrible accident involving the Earl of Sandwich’s son. The baby was supposedly tossed without warning from his cradle. The cradle was later found in the Thames river, empty.

“All the Pretty Little Horses”

“Hush-a-bye, Don’t you cry
Go to sleep my little ba-by;
When you wake,you shall have,all the pretty little horses.
Dapples and Greys, Pintos and Bays, Coach and six little horses….
Way down yonder in the meadow
poor little baby cries mama
birds and butterflies flutter ’round his eyes
poor little baby cries mama
Hush-a-bye…”

This is a lullaby that also has disturbing origins, but of a different sort. It was originally written by an African American slave and sung to her master’s child. Because of her preoccupation with the care of her master’s child, she was forced to neglect her own child. In the second verse, the slave refers to her own child, alone and unable to care for himself. Originally, the lyrics read, “Birds and butterflies, peck at his eyes,” but was later changed to make the lullaby less violent.

“Three Blind Mice”

“Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run. See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer’s wife
She cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a thing in your life
As three blind mice.”

There is a strong theory that suggests that this nursery rhyme refers to the blinding and execution of three protestant bishops by Queen Mary I of England. The earlier lyrics, which include the phrase, “she scrapte her tripe licke thou the knife,” implies that the old farmer’s wife tasted the blood of the mice, just as the Queen tasted the blood of her slain adversaries, the bishops.

“Ten Little Indians”

Other than being racist, it’s difficult to see much wrong with this song. With it’s simplistic lyrics, it’s hard to draw any disturbing information. It’s origins, however, as well as the song it originated from, speak otherwise. This is the song we are all familiar with, or a slight variation of it:

“One little, two little, three little Indians. Four little, five little, six little Indians. Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians. Ten little Indian boys. Ten little, nine little, eight little Indians. Seven little, six little, five little Indians. Four little, three little, two little Indians. One little Indian boy.”

This, however, is an extremely modified version of the original song by Septimus Winner, written in the 1860s. It was originally titled, “Ten Little Injuns” and goes like this:

“Ten little Injuns standin’ in a line,
One toddled home and then there were nine;
Nine little Injuns swingin’ on a gate, One tumbled off and then there were eight.
One little, two little, three little, four little, five little Injun boys,
Six little, seven little, eight little, nine little, ten little Injun boys.
Eight little Injuns gayest under heav’n. One went to sleep and then there were seven;
Seven little Injuns cuttin’ up their tricks, One broke his neck and then there were six.
Six little Injuns all alive, One kicked the bucket and then there were five;
Five little Injuns on a cellar door, One tumbled in and then there were four.
Four little Injuns up on a spree, One got fuddled and then there were three;
Three little Injuns out on a canoe, One tumbled overboard and then there were two.
Two little Injuns foolin’ with a gun, One shot t’other and then there was one;
One little Injun livin’ all alone, He got married and then there were none.”

This rhyme is also notable for inspiring Agatha Christie’s novel, And Then There Were None. In the novel, the rhyme changes once again, into an even more disturbing version:

“Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Indian boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.”

In both of these earlier versions, I believe it’s clear what these obviously white songwriters thought of Native Americans. I classify this song as disturbing because this seemingly benign childrens’ rhyme is an obviously violent and racist statement against the Native American people.

“Jack and Jill”

This rhyme dates back to the 18th century, originally titled, “Jack and Gill.” Most people only recognize the first verse, but there are actually four verses:

“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.
And went to bed and covered his head,
In vinegar and brown paper.”
“When Jill came in how she did grin,
To see Jack’s paper plaster.
Mother vexed, did whip her next,
For causing Jack’s disaster.”
“Now Jack did laugh and Jill did cry,
But her tears did soon abate.
Then Jill did say that they should play,
At see-saw across the gate.”

“Jack and Jill” began as an English nursery rhyme, so there are several complicated metaphors within the rhyme that refer to English events in history. One event it illustrates, for example, is the attempt of Charles I to reform taxes on liquid measures. He ordered that the volume of a Jack (1/2 pint) be reduced, so the phrase “Jack fell down and broke his crown,” refers to modern pint glasses, which still have the half-pint mark with a crown above it. “Jill came tumbling after,” refers to the reductiong in the volume of a Gill (1/4 pint) that followed soon after. Liquids, especially alcohol, were watered down, hence, “fetch a pail of water.”

Jack and Jill are also seen as symbolic of Louis XVI of France and his queen, Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI was deposed and beheaded, hence, “broke his crown” and Marie Antoinette followed soon after. This version of the symbolism is widely accepted since the lyrics have evolved to make the rhyme more palatable to children.

“Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”

“Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
On a cold and frosty morning.”

This song contains parallels with similar songs in the Dutch and Scandinavian languages. However, R.S. Duncan, the governor of Wakefield prison, has suggested that this particular song originated when the female prisoners would entertain their children in the prison courtyard. The mulberry bush the prisoner’s speak of in the song is still in the courtyard of the prison.

While a prison song is not necessarily disturbing, a variation of this song with the same tune (”The Merry-Go-Round”) is not so inspiring. The song tells the tragic story of several children on a merry-go-round that collapses under too much weight. Several of the children are severely injured and one even dies in the accident.

“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,
Could not put Humpty together again.”

“Humpty Dumpty” was a phrase used to mean, “Little Clumsy Person.” Previously, however, a “Humpty Dumpty” was a drink made from brandy and boiled with ale. There are several theories that attempt to explain the humpty dumpty rhyme. In one theory, Humpty Dumpty is said to refer to the hunchbacked king, Richard III of England. The “wall” on which he sits refers to his horse, nicknamed, “The Wall.” Others have proposed that the wall could also refer to Richard III’s supporters, who later deserted him. During a battle, Richard III is said to have fallen off his horse and “hacked into pieces,” an eerie similarity to the plight of poor Humpty Dumpty as he shatters into pieces.

“Jack Be Nimble”

“Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jumped over a candlestick.
Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low
Jack jumped over and burned his toe.”

Many theories on this nursery rhyme refer to the Yellow Fever, also called Yellow Jack Fever. Since fire was said to keep the fever away, candles were often placed at the bed sides of children. It is also proposed that “jumping over a candlestick” was a way of predicting the future. If someone jumped over it and the flame went out, bad luck was likely to ensue. If it stayed lit, good luck was predicted.

“Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater”

“Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater,
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.
Put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.”

Peter was poor man who had an unfaithfu wife, hence he “couldn’t keep her.” To stop her disloyalty, he fitted her with a chastity belt made of pumpkin shell, a common practice in the Middle Ages. Once he did that, the problem was solved and he “kept her very well.”

“Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Three Men in a Tub”

“Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Three Men in a Tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker,
Turn ‘em out, knaves all three!”

There are several stories that explain this rhyme, but all of them don’t consider the setting in which this rhyme takes place. A side-show at a fair included three young, beautiful women together in a bath tub, entertaining an audience of men in a strip-tease type show. Three of the men, apparently the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker, couldn’t resist their sexual urges and jumped into the tub with the women. They were promptly thrown out by the fair manager.

The versions of most of our favorite nursery rhymes have evolved into pleasant children’s songs with no indication of a disturbing past. It is interesting to know, however, the origins and meanings of rhymes that most of us have never really thought about. I hope you learned something interesting.