There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe is a very old rhyme that first appeared in print (or at least a version of it) in 1797, so it may have some significance …
Old Nursery Rhymes
The Lion and the Unicorn
It’s likely that this rhyme commemorates the joining of Scotland and England in 1603. The Lion and the Unicorn came about when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. The royal coat of …
See Saw Margery Daw
This was probably a rhyme used by men sawing large logs of wood using two-handled saws, in order to keep their timing. Margery was a name used by poor country folk in the 18th and …
Rain Rain Go Away
Rain Rain Go Away is a very popular nursery rhyme that is easily recognizable for its simple lyrics and catchy tune. It is an old nursery rhyme that has been sung by children for centuries …
Polly Put the Kettle On
Polly Put the Kettle On is an old English nursery rhyme that was first attested in 1803. Sukey was a pet name for Susan and Polly was a pet name for Mary in the 19th …
Pat a Cake
Pat a Cake is one of the most popular nursery rhymes and clapping games along with Miss Mary Mack and Miss Susie Had a Steamboat.Sometimes, Pat a Cake is known for its variation, Pat it …
Lucy Locket
This was a well-known and popular rhyme on both sides of the Atlantic by the middle of the 19th Century and was sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle or Jack and Jill. Kitty Fisher, …
London Bridge is Falling Down
London Bridge is Falling Down is one of the most popular nursery rhymes. It’s possible that this rhyme and the game associated with it, dates back as far as the fourteenth century, and versions of …
Little Polly Flinders
This rhyme was first published in 1805 with the first line of, ‘Little Jenny Flinders.’ Over time this has become the ‘Polly’ we’re familiar with today. Corporal punishment was a normal part of early 19th …
Little Miss Muffet
There is a theory that Miss Muffet was Patience, the daughter of Dr. Thomas Muffet, a 16th-century entomologist. He had written a work in verse entitled ‘The Silkworms and Their Flies’ and was known as …