Once upon a rhyme, when “streaming” was what creeks did and “clouds” were merely sky décor, nursery rhymes ruled the universe. Armed with nothing but breath and mischief, our ancestors spun these unhinged, verbal Molotov cocktails, and lobbed them into their children’s bedrooms just before wishing them “Pleasant dreams!”
They were the original PowerPoint presentations. Short, loud, easy to remember, and only slightly less violent than a Game of Thrones family reunion. But don’t let those quaint illustrations of bonneted babies and smiling lambs fool you. Beneath the jingly-jangly verses lurked a darkness deep enough to warrant a PG-13 rating, and possibly a few restraining orders. Our most beloved nursery rhymes aren’t just cute, they’re straight-up deranged.
Consider this rogues’ gallery of childhood trauma, lifted straight from the old verses:
A Little Cock Sparrow: A cheerful bird, chirping away until a kid shows up with a bow and arrow and turns it into the Hunger Games.
Goosey Goosey Gander: What do you do with an old man who doesn’t say his prayers? No problem. Just grab him by the leg and yeet him down the stairs.
Humpty Dumpty: A tragic tale of a living egg shattered into omelet meat by poor railing safety standards.
Jack and Jill: Went up a hill for a pail of water, only to come down with traumatic brain injuries.
There Was a Little Man: Wander down to the brook, see a cute duck, and why not blast it in the head three times? Totally normal behavior.
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe: She’s got a million kids and no parenting skills. The solution? Starve them, spank them, then call it a night.
For some reason, we still share these with our own children. Instead of quietly dying out, these ancient, occasionally blood-soaked rhymes have exploded back onto the scene with the help of Artificial Intelligence. They’re the “new and improved” Mother Goose, who runs on lithium batteries and sarcasm.
Thanks to Sora’s text-to-image algorithms, we’re not just listening to little diddies about cows jumping over moons anymore, we’re experiencing it in ultra-HD, with moon boots, GoPro footage, and a screaming emotional support pig. Humpty Dumpty isn’t just falling, he’s getting the full Sora animated treatment with three-point lighting and six different angles of despair.
This article demonstrates what happens when classic folklore gets bitten by a radioactive server. When Mother Goose upgrades to firmware 10.0 and starts rendering cradle catastrophes with cinematic flair. They’re part tribute, part roast, and part cautionary tale about leaving your childhood memories unsupervised with machine learning.
So, why do these old rhymes stick around, despite their barbarous tendencies? It’s simple:
They’re short: Perfect for brains trained on Twitter and TikTok.
They’re rhythmic: Like weaponized bubble wrap for your mouth.
They’re communal: Passed down by grandmothers, and only slightly censored for public decency.
So, whether you’re a nostalgia junkie, a tech-curious adventurer, or someone who just really needs to see what “Three Blind Mice” might look like through the eyes of a traumatized Pixar animator, this site is for you.
Welcome to the beautiful, terrifying world where nothing is sacred. Not even the cows.
Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes
A cat came fiddling out of a barn,
With a pair of bagpipes under her arm.
She could sing nothing but “Fiddle-de-dee,”
The mouse has married the bumblebee.
A diller, a dollar,
A ten o’clock scholar,
What makes you come so soon?
You used to come at ten o’clock,
And now you come at noon.
A little cock sparrow sat on a green tree,
And he chirruped and chirruped so merry was he.
A naughty boy came with his bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock sparrow.
A-tisket, a-tasket,
A green and yellow basket.
I wrote a letter to my love
And on the way I dropped it.
A wise old owl lived in an oak,
The more he saw the less he spoke.
The less he spoke the more he heard,
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?
As Tommy Snooks was sleeping,
He dreamed a dream so wide.
He caught the moon in a jelly jar,
And rode a starfish tide.
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch! It stung me!
Baby’s boat’s a silver moon,
Sailing in the sky.
Sailing over the sea of sleep,
While the clouds float by.
Barber, barber, shave a pig.
How many hairs will make a wig?
Four and twenty, that’s enough.
Then give the poor barber a pinch of snuff!
Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day?
One o’clock, two o’clock, three and away!
Off to the market, off to the fair,
Bell horses trotting with ribbons in their hair.
Betty Botter bought some butter.
But she said the butter’s bitter.
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter,
Will make my batter better.
Bobby Shafto’s gone to sea,
Silver buckles on his knee.
He’ll come back and marry me,
Bonny Bobby Shafto.
Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,
Get it done by half past two.
Stitch it up and stitch it down,
And I’ll give you half a crown.
Cock-a-doodle-don’t,
My hen will never crow.
She struts around and pecks the ground,
And acts like she’s a pro.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
My dame has lost her shoe.
My master’s lost his fiddling stick,
And knows not what to do.
Curly Locks, Curly Locks, wilt thou be mine?
Thou shalt not wash dishes, nor yet feed the swine.
But sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam,
And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream.
Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John,
Went to bed with his stockings on.
One shoe off and one shoe on,
Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John.
Ding dong bell,
Pussy’s in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Green.
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Stout.
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester,
In a shower of rain.
He stepped in a puddle,
Right up to his middle,
And never went there again.
Elsie Marley is grown so fine,
She won’t get up to serve the swine.
But lies in bed till eight or nine,
And surely she does take her time.
Fiddle-dee-dee, fiddle-dee-dee,
The fly has married the bumblebee!
Said the fly, “It’s a fine affair.”
Said the bee, “Then I’ll buzz in your hair!”
Five fat sausages sizzling in a pan.
All of a sudden—one went BAM!
Four fat sausages sizzling in a pan.
Five little ducks went out one day,
Over the hill and far away.
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack,”
But only four little ducks came back.
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Freddie played his fiddle all day long,
Twisting up tunes and humming a song.
The cats all danced and the chickens clucked,
Till the rooster crowed and the moon got plucked.
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?
Girls and boys come out to play,
The moon doth shine as bright as day.
Leave your supper and leave your sleep,
And join your playmates in the street.
Goosey goosey gander, whither shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs and in my lady’s chamber.
There I met an old man who wouldn’t say his prayers,
So I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs.
Handy Spandy, Jack-a-Dandy.
Loved plum cake and sugar candy.
He bought some at the grocer’s shop,
And out he came, hop, hop, hop!
Hark, hark, the dogs do bark,
The beggars are coming to town.
Some in rags and some in tags,
And one in a velvet gown.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
So early Monday morning.
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Hickamore, Hackamore,
On the King’s kitchen door.
All the King’s horses,
And all the King’s men,
Couldn’t drive Hickamore, Hackamore in.
Hickety pickety my black hen,
She lays eggs for gentlemen.
Sometimes nine and sometimes ten,
Hickety pickety my black hen.
Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory dickory dock.
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons.
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck,
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He’d chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could,
If a woodchuck only would!
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.
I had a little husband no bigger than my thumb,
I put him in a pint pot, and there I bid him drum.
I bought a little handkerchief to wipe his little nose,
And he hopped out the window and danced upon my toes.
I had a little nut tree, nothing would it bear,
But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear.
The King of Spain’s daughter came to visit me,
And all for the sake of my little nut tree.
I saw a ship a-sailing, a-sailing on the sea,
And oh, it was all laden with pretty things for me!
There were comfits in the cabin, and apples in the hold,
The sails were made of silk and the masts were made of gold.
If all the world were paper,
And all the sea were ink,
If all the trees were bread and cheese,
What should we do for drink?
I’m a little teapot, short and stout,
Here is my handle, here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout,
“Tip me over and pour me out!”
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.
Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick.
Jack jump over,
The candlestick.
Jelly on the plate, jelly on the plate,
Wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on the plate.
Sausage in the pan, sausage in the pan,
Frizzle frazzle, frizzle frazzle, sausage in the pan.
Little Jenny Wren fell sick,
Upon a time and what do you think?
In came Robin Redbreast with sugar and wine,
And Jenny Wren grew well in time.
Jerry Hall, he was so small,
A rat could eat him, hat and all.
He danced on the edge of a copper coin,
And called it his ballroom, crisp and fine.
Johnny shall have a new bonnet,
And Johnny shall go to the fair.
And Johnny shall have a blue ribbon,
To tie up his bonny brown hair.
King Boggen he built a fine hall,
Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall.
The windows were made of black puddings and white,
And slated with pancakes, you never saw the like!
Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children all gone.
All except one, and that’s little Ann,
And she has crept under the warming pan.
Lazy Mary, will you get up,
Will you get up, will you get up?
Lazy Mary, will you get up,
Will you get up today?
Little Arabella Miller,
Found a furry caterpillar.
First it crawled up on her mother,
Then upon her baby brother.
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them.
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn,
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep?
He’s under a haystack, fast asleep.
Little Jack Jingle, he used to live single.
But when he got tired of this kind of life,
He left off being single and lived with his wife.
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Little Polly Flinders,
Sat among the cinders,
Warming her pretty little toes.
Her mother came and caught her,
And whipped her little daughter,
For spoiling her nice new clothes.
Little Tommy Tucker sings for his supper.
What shall we give him? White bread and butter.
How shall he cut it without a knife?
How shall he marry without a wife?
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
Lucy Locket lost her pocket,
Kitty Fisher found it.
Not a penny was there in it,
Only ribbon round it.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
There was an old man named Michael Finnegan,
He had whiskers on his chin-igan.
They fell out and grew in again,
Poor old Michael Finnegan. Begin again!
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack,
All dressed in black, black, black.
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,
All down her back, back, back.
Mrs. Mason bought a basin,
On her way to Pipewell Station.
She filled it up with lemonade,
And drank it in a summer shade.
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.
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow.
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow.
Do you or I or anyone know,
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Dear, dear! What can the matter be?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny’s so long at the fair!
Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
Oh, have you seen the Muffin Man,
The Muffin Man, the Muffin Man?
Oh, have you seen the Muffin Man,
That lives on Drury Lane?
Old Grumble-Gill had a crooked quill,
He wrote with ink made on the sill.
His paper danced, his letters flew,
He signed it “Yours,” and off it blew.
Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard,
To get her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there the cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.
Old Roger is dead and gone to his grave,
H’m, ha! gone to his grave.
They planted an apple tree over his head,
H’m, ha! over his head.
One misty, moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
There I met an old man,
Clothed all in leather.
One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, knock at the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big fat hen.
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
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 B,
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
Pease porridge hot,
Pease porridge cold.
Pease porridge in the pot,
Nine days old.
Peter Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.
Polly put the kettle on,
Polly put the kettle on.
Polly put the kettle on,
We’ll all have tea.
Poor old Robinson Crusoe!
Poor old Robinson Crusoe!
They made him a coat,
Of an old nanny goat.
I wonder how they could do so!
Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?
I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.
Pussycat, pussycat, what did you do there?
I frightened a little mouse under her chair.
Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a fine lady upon a white horse.
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.
Ride away, ride away, Johnny shall ride,
And he shall have a pussy-cat tied to one side.
He shall have little dog tied to the other,
And Johnny shall ride to see his grandmother.
Ring-a-ring o’ roses,
A pocket full of posies.
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.
Ring the bell, watchman, ring the bell.
Tell the folks that all is well.
For the sun is up and it’s time to play,
Ring the bell and start the day!
Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick maker,
And all of them out to sea.
See-saw, Margery Daw,
Johnny shall have a new master.
He shall earn but a penny a day,
Because he can’t work any faster.
Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
“Let me taste your ware.”
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing.
Wasn’t that a dainty dish,
To set before the king?
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
That was the end of Solomon Grundy.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, climb the stairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers.
There were ten in the bed and the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
Donkey, donkey, old and gray,
Open your mouth and gently bray.
Lift your ears and blow your horn,
To wake the world this sleepy morn.
The farmer in the dell,
The farmer in the dell.
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The farmer in the dell.
Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.
This is the house that Jack built.
This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rat that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
The man in the moon came tumbling down,
And asked the way to Norwich.
He went by the south and burnt his mouth,
With eating cold pease porridge.
The man in the moon stayed up too late,
And burned his fingers on a garden gate.
He cried for the stars, he cried for the sun,
And vowed never again to have nighttime fun.
A little grey mouse in a grandfather clock,
Ticked and tocked as he ran ’round the block.
He nibbled the hands and squeaked with glee,
Till the clock struck twelve and he spilled his tea!
The north wind blows so cold, so cold,
It shakes the windows, bold and old.
But wrap up tight and count to ten,
Spring will knock and come again.
There was an old woman of Harrow,
Who visited in a wheelbarrow.
And when she got there,
She made people stare,
By waving her old red wheelbarrow.
There was an old woman tossed up in a basket,
Seventeen times as high as the moon.
Where she was going I couldn’t but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.
An owl and a cricket sat on a wall,
Each claimed the night and began to brawl.
The cricket chirped, “I’m music, you brute!”
The owl just blinked and gave a hoot.
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile.
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very, very good.
But when she was bad, she was horrid.
There was a little man and he had a little gun,
And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead.
He went to the brook and saw a little duck,
And he shot it right through the head, head, head.
There was a pig went out to dig,
Chris-cross under a rotten twig.
He snorted loud and wagged his tail,
Then lost his hat upon the rail.
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread,
Then whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed.
This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face, wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face,
So early in the morning.
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home.
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy cried “Wee wee wee!” all the way home.
Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run!
They all ran after the farmer’s wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor,
Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,
Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.
To Babyland, to Babyland,
Our ship is sailing true.
With lullabies for evening skies,
And dreams to carry you.
To market, to market to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.
To market, to market to buy a fat hog,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jog.
Tom, Tom, the piper’s son,
Stole a pig and away did run.
The pig was eat and Tom was beat,
And Tom went crying down the street.
Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks,
Were walking out one Sunday.
Said Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks,
“Tomorrow will be Monday.”
Tweedle dee dee, tweedle dee dum,
The cat’s in the cupboard and won’t come home.
The dog’s in the garden, digging a hole,
And the bird’s in the chimney, black as coal.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire,
Shh, not a sound, the moon is near.
Close your eyes and count the sheep,
It’s time for dreams and stars and sleep.
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown.
Tapping at the window, crying through the lock,
“Are the children all in bed? It’s past eight o’clock!”
When I was a bachelor, I lived by myself,
And all the bread and cheese I got I put upon a shelf.
The rats and the mice, they made such a strife,
I had to go to London to buy me a wife.
When I was one, I had just begun.
When I was two, I was nearly new.
When I was three, I was hardly me.
When I was four, I was not much more.
Who’s that tapping at my window pane?
Is it the robin come back again?
No, it’s the wind with a howling shout,
He’s dancing with leaves and blowing them o
Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes Reference Table
| Nursery Rhyme | Earliest Known Publication | Attributed Author | Place of Origin | Historical/Cultural Summary |
| A Cat Came Fiddling | c. 1843 (mid-19th century) (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep – Wikipedia) | Unknown | England | An early-English nursery rhyme about a fiddling cat and a fanciful wedding between a mouse and a bumblebee. First recorded in the mid-19th century, its whimsical imagery serves purely for children’s amusement without a deeper known meaning. |
| A Diller, A Dollar | Early 19th century (oral tradition) | Unknown | England | A short English nursery rhyme mocking a late school-goer (“ten o’clock scholar”). It was circulating by the early 19th century in Britain and was used to playfully chide children who were late for school. |
| A Little Cock Sparrow | 18th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | An old nursery rhyme about a sparrow and a naughty boy with a bow. It was already part of oral tradition in the 18th century and reflects the simple, sometimes grim humor of early children’s rhymes (the boy tries to shoot the sparrow). |
| A-Tisket, A-Tasket | 1879 (U.S. children’s game) | Unknown (traditional) | United States | Originating as a 19th-century American play-party game (first noted in 1879), it involved children dancing in a circle and dropping a letter. The simple rhyme about a lost green-and-yellow basket was later expanded into a famous 1938 jazz song by Ella Fitzgerald. |
| A Wise Old Owl | 1875 (recorded) | Unknown (often misattributed) | England / USA | This proverb-like rhyme was recorded by 1875 and reflects the adage that silent observation confers wisdom. Common in both Britain and America by the early 20th century, it was even used on a U.S. Army WWII poster urging discretion (“Soldier… be like that old bird!”). |
| As Tommy Snooks Was Sleeping | 19th century (variant of “Tommy Snooks”) | Unknown | England | A lesser-known variation on the “Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks” theme, in which Tommy dreams fantastically (catching the moon in a jar and riding a starfish tide). It likely emerged in the 19th century as a whimsical extension to the traditional rhyme about Tommy Snooks. |
| Baa, Baa, Black Sheep | c. 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep – Wikipedia) | Unknown (traditional) | England | An English nursery rhyme first printed around 1744 (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep – Wikipedia). Its melody is shared with other rhymes like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Over two and a half centuries the lyrics have remained mostly unchanged (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep – Wikipedia). The rhyme has been speculatively linked to a 13th-century wool tax, but such interpretations lack evidence. |
| Baby Bumblebee | Early 20th century (children’s song) | Unknown | United States | A playful American children’s song (often sung in Scout and camp circles) about catching a bumblebee and getting stung. It gained popularity in the early 20th century and is usually accompanied by hand motions. The song’s simple humor (and the “ouch!” at the end) teaches children through call-and-response and repetition. |
| Baby’s Boat’s a Silver Moon | c. 1898 (lullaby) | Attributed to Alice C. D. Riley | United States | A gentle American lullaby comparing the moon to a silver boat sailing in the sky. It dates to the late 19th century and is often credited to Alice C. D. Riley. This soothing verse is meant to lull infants to sleep with dreamy imagery of a “sea of sleep” and floating clouds. |
| Barber, Barber, Shave a Pig | 19th century (recorded) | Unknown | England | A nonsense couplet from the 19th century about a barber asked to shave a pig. It exemplifies the silly, tongue-in-cheek style of nursery lore – obviously one cannot really shave a pig – and was likely just a rhyming jingle to amuse young children during play. |
| Bell Horses, Bell Horses | 18th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | An old English rhyme (18th-century or earlier) that mimics the sound of harness bells. Children would recite “Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day?” as part of a play song. Culturally it reflects the era of horse-drawn carts – the ringing “bell horses” signaled time or events (like going to market or fair) in a child-friendly way. |
| Betty Botter | 1899 (published) | Often attributed to Carolyn Wells | United States | A classic English-language tongue-twister about buying bitter vs. better butter. Its earliest known publication was in 1899 in a collection by Carolyn Wells, although variations existed orally. It’s used to develop children’s pronunciation and provide a fun verbal challenge with its alliterative “bitter butter” verses. |
| Bobby Shafto | c. 1760s (folk song) | Unknown (traditional) | England (Northumbria) | A popular English nursery song about “Bobby Shafto,” believed to refer to an 18th-century British politician, Robert Shafto. (It was famously sung during the 1761 election campaign.) It became a regional nursery rhyme in North East England, with the jaunty lines (“Bobby Shafto’s gone to sea… he’ll come back and marry me”) reflecting hopeful love and local lore. |
| Cobbler, Cobbler, Mend My Shoe | c. 1840 (Victorian era) | Unknown | England | An old rhyme addressing a cobbler to mend a shoe by half-past two. It appears in 19th-century nursery collections and teaches polite patience (many versions end with the cobbler finally hearing “please”). The rhyme reflects a time when cobblers were common and instills manners in a playful way. |
| Cock-a-Doodle-Don’t | 20th century (parody variant) | Unknown | United States (likely) | A modern comic twist on the classic “cock-a-doodle-doo.” In this parody rhyme, a hen that “will never crow” struts proudly. It likely originated in the late 20th century as a lighthearted variation (not found in older nursery collections) meant to amuse with its subversion of the rooster’s crow. |
| Cock-a-Doodle-Doo | 1765 (Mother Goose’s Melody) | Unknown | England | An old nursery rhyme about a cock’s crow. The familiar lines (“Cock-a-doodle-doo! My dame has lost her shoe…”) were printed by 1765 in Mother Goose’s Melody. Its origins may trace to even earlier folk sayings. Traditionally, it simply mimics a rooster’s crow and entertains children with its sing-song rhythm and nonsense scenario. |
| Curly Locks | c. 1840 (likely earlier) | Unknown | England | A traditional rhyme (“Curly locks, curly locks, wilt thou be mine?”) long used to soothe and flatter children with curly hair. James Orchard Halliwell included it in his 19th-century collections, though it probably circulated earlier. The rhyme’s promise – that a child with curls need not do chores, only sew fine seams and eat treats – reflects a gentle, fanciful indulgence common in nursery rhymes. |
| Diddle Diddle Dumpling | 1797 (late 18th century) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first recorded in the late 1700s, about a child (John) going to bed with one shoe on and one off. It appeared in printed collections by the late 18th century. Culturally it’s a simple, silly observation turned rhyme, possibly used as a bedtime ditty to amuse children about improper bed attire. |
| Ding Dong Bell | 1609 (Deuteromelia songbook) | Unknown | England | One of the oldest nursery rhymes on record. The line “Ding dong bell, Pussy’s in the well” was published in 1609 and even alluded to by Shakespeare. It originally described a cat thrown in a well and rescued (older versions had a less kind ending). Over time it taught children a moral (do not harm animals) in a simple rhyming way. |
| Doctor Foster | 1844 (printed) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first printed in 1844, about Dr. Foster’s trip to Gloucester in a shower of rain. He “stepped in a puddle right up to his middle” and never went again – a humorous hyperbole to amuse children. Some speculate it references an incident of a monarch in Gloucester, but it remains a simple, silly rhyme without confirmed historical meaning. |
| Elsie Marley | Early 19th century (folk song) | Unknown | England (Northumberland) | Originally a Northumbrian folk song about a woman named Elsie Marley (an 18th-century alewife). It entered the nursery-rhyme repertoire by the 19th century. The verses (“Elsie Marley is grown so fine, she won’t get up to serve the swine…”) gently poke fun at Elsie’s laziness, and it was sung to a bouncy tune that survived in local tradition. |
| Fiddle-Dee-Dee | 18th–19th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | A lighthearted rhyme (“Fiddle-dee-dee, the fly has married the bumblebee!”) found in traditional nursery collections. It anthropomorphizes insects in a nonsensical wedding scenario. The rhyme’s sing-song “fiddle-dee-dee” refrain made it memorable for children, and it likely evolved from 18th-century fiddle tunes or rhymes passed down orally. |
| Five Fat Sausages | Mid-20th century (children’s song) | Unknown | United Kingdom | A counting-down rhyme about sausages in a pan that go “BAM!” one by one. It became popular in the mid-20th century as a preschool song to teach counting (from five down to zero) in an engaging way. Each verse removes one sausage, with the loud “BAM!” (or “pop”) delighting children as they anticipate the next number. |
| Five Little Ducks | Mid-20th century (nursery song) | Unknown | United States/Canada | A popular counting song and fingerplay in which five little ducks wander off and return one by one. It likely originated in North America in the mid-20th century and was widely popularized by children’s entertainers. The song helps children practice counting backward from five and has a simple melody and storyline (the mother duck quacking to call her ducklings back). |
| Five Little Monkeys | Mid-20th century (oral tradition) | Unknown | United States | A well-known American children’s rhyme (often with hand motions) about five monkeys jumping on a bed and falling off one by one. It emerged around the mid-20th century and has become a staple for teaching counting down and consequences (each verse ends with a doctor’s admonishment: “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”). |
| Freddie and the Fiddle | Late 20th century (modern rhyme) | Unknown | (Unknown English) | A modern nursery-style rhyme about a boy fiddling all day as animals dance. It’s not found in classic nursery collections, suggesting a late 20th-century origin (perhaps created for a contemporary anthology). The rhyme’s playful imagery of animals dancing to Freddie’s fiddle is purely fanciful and meant to entertain with rhythm and rhyme. |
| Fuzzy Wuzzy | Early 20th century (colloquial rhyme) | Unknown | United States | A short playful rhyme (“Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear; Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair…”) that became popular as a children’s tongue-twister in the early 20th century. It’s essentially a nonsensical wordplay joke about a hairless bear named Fuzzy Wuzzy. The rhyme’s simple humor lies in the contradiction (a not-so-fuzzy Fuzzy Wuzzy) and the repetition of sounds, making it a memorable playground chant. |
| Girls and Boys Come Out to Play | c. 1708 (early 18th century) | Unknown | England | One of the older English nursery rhymes, dating back to at least the early 1700s. It invites children to come outside in the evening (“the moon doth shine as bright as day”). Historically it may have accompanied a children’s evening game. The rhyme reflects a time when children would play in the streets by moonlight, and its enduring appeal lies in its catchy invitation for collective play after supper and before bed. |
| Goosey Goosey Gander | 1784 (Gammer Gurton’s Garland) | Unknown | England | An 18th-century English nursery rhyme first published in 1784. Its lyrics (“…whither shall I wander? Upstairs and downstairs and in my lady’s chamber…”) recount a child’s rambles and famously include tossing an old man for not saying his prayers. Some theories link it to religious intolerance (priests in hiding), but as with many nursery rhymes the literal scenario is just macabre nonsense. It survived as a chant for children because of its rhythmic, sing-song quality. |
| Handy Spandy Jack-a-Dandy | c. 1760s (18th century) | Unknown | England | An old English nursery rhyme dating to at least the 18th century. It features the character Jack-a-Dandy with his love of plum cake and sugar candy. The rhyme, found in early Mother Goose collections, may have been a sing-song used to tease or nickname a child with a sweet tooth (a “jack-a-dandy” being a foppish fellow). It doesn’t carry a moral so much as present a catchy snapshot of a character with treats. |
| Hark, Hark, the Dogs Do Bark | mid-18th century (c. 1760) | Unknown | England | An old rhyme (first recorded around the mid-1700s) describing a cacophony as “the beggars are coming to town.” It likely originated as a street song noting how dogs bark when strangers (beggars) arrive. Culturally it reflects a historical reality of itinerants in towns, but for children it simply became a rhythmic rhyme with vivid images (“some in rags and some in tags, and one in a velvet gown”). |
| Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush | mid-19th century (c. 1840s) | Unknown | England | A classic English singing game and nursery rhyme. The earliest record is from the 1840s, though it may be older. Children hold hands and circle (“go round”) while singing about the mulberry bush on a “cold and frosty morning.” Each verse is followed by actions (“This is the way we wash our clothes,” etc.), making it a lively participation song. A local legend ties it to female prisoners exercising around a mulberry tree at Wakefield Prison, but its popularity stems from its interactive, instructional nature for children. |
| Hey Diddle Diddle | c. 1765 (printed) | Unknown | England | A well-known English nursery rhyme published around 1765. The playful nonsense of a cat with a fiddle, a cow jumping over the moon, and a dish running away with a spoon has delighted children for centuries. Numerous fanciful theories have tried to decode it (from astronomy to historical allegories), but it remains simply a prime example of whimsical nursery nonsense that endures because of its catchy rhythm and absurd imagery. |
| Hickamore, Hackamore | 18th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | An old obscure rhyme (“Hickamore, Hackamore, on the King’s kitchen door…”) of uncertain origin, found in historical collections. It reads like a bit of nonsense or a riddle, noting that not even all the King’s horses and men could drive Hickamore in. This kind of verse likely amused children with its rhythmic repetition and the playful idea of something stuck on the King’s door that even royal might can’t budge. |
| Hickety Pickety My Black Hen | 1840s (collected) | Unknown | England / Scotland | A traditional nursery couplet about a black hen that lays eggs “for gentlemen.” It was recorded by the mid-19th century in nursery rhyme collections. The sing-song alliteration (“hickety pickety”) and its simple farmyard imagery made it a quick favorite. Its purpose is mainly rhythmic fun – a little counting rhyme (sometimes the hen lays “sometimes nine and sometimes ten” eggs) that has survived in nursery lore. |
| Hickory Dickory Dock | 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | A famous English nursery rhyme first recorded in London in 1744. It likely began as a counting-out rhyme. The story of a mouse running “up the clock” and back down at the strike of one is a fun way to introduce children to telling time. One theory even links it to the astronomical clock at Exeter Cathedral (which has a small hole for a resident cat to chase mice), but fundamentally it’s loved for its rhythmic, onomatopoeic charm in teaching numbers and time. |
| Hot Cross Buns | 1733 (street cry; 1780s nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | Originally a street vendor’s cry from the 18th century (recorded in 1733) for spiced buns sold on Good Friday, it entered the nursery repertoire by the late 1700s as a simple rhyme (“Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny…”). Historically, it familiarized children with a real marketplace sound. Culturally it survives as a nursery song often played on beginner instruments due to its simple three-note melody. |
| How Much Wood (Would a Woodchuck Chuck) | c. 1902 (American tongue-twister) | Unknown | United States | A popular English tongue-twister about a woodchuck chucking wood. It appeared in the early 20th century (c. 1902) and has since become proverbial. It doesn’t convey a story or moral – its purpose is to challenge one’s enunciation and entertain with its alliterative absurdity. It likely spread through schoolyards and vaudeville rather than formal nursery rhyme collections. |
| Humpty Dumpty | 1797 (Juvenile Amusements) | Unknown (traditional) | England | A famous English nursery rhyme first published in 1797. The four-line rhyme about Humpty Dumpty’s great fall and the King’s men’s inability to reassemble him likely began as a riddle (with the answer “egg”). Over time, Humpty Dumpty became universally depicted as an egg (notably in Lewis Carroll’s 1871 Through the Looking-Glass). Its cultural purpose was partly riddle-solving, but it endures mainly as a beloved nonsense verse illustrating that some mishaps can’t be undone. |
| Hush, Little Baby | mid-19th century (traditional lullaby) | Unknown | United States | A soothing American lullaby of folk origin, especially common in the Southern U.S. It promises the child a series of gifts (“Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird…”) to stop it from crying. The call-and-response structure dates back to at least the mid-19th century in oral tradition. Culturally, it’s a comforting bedtime song intended to calm infants with its repetitive assurances and gentle melody. |
| I Had a Little Husband No Bigger Than My Thumb | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A quaint and lesser-known nursery rhyme about a miniature husband. It appears in 19th-century nursery-rhyme collections and echoes themes of the Tom Thumb folktale. The rhyme’s charm lies in its absurdity (a husband the size of a thumb doing drum work and then escaping). It doesn’t have a clear moral, serving instead as a whimsical, imaginative piece to spark children’s fancy. |
| I Had a Little Nut Tree | 1797 (nursery rhyme collection) | Unknown | England | An old English nursery rhyme dating to at least the late 18th century. It tells of a magical little nut tree that bore a silver nutmeg and a golden pear, and the visit of the King of Spain’s daughter. Some speculate it alludes to an actual royal visit in the 1500s (visiting Spanish princess), but there’s no proof. As a cultural piece it’s valued for its simple melody and fairy-tale imagery, enchanting children with the idea of a wondrous tree and a princess as a guest. |
| I Saw a Ship A-Sailing | c. 1830 (19th century) | Unknown | England | A classic nursery rhyme describing a fantastical ship at sea laden with pretty things. It was circulating by the early 19th century. The rhyme’s charm is in its imagery (comfits and apples aboard, silk sails, golden masts) which reads like a dream of treasures coming to the singer. It doesn’t have a moral or narrative – it’s more of a gentle voyage of imagination for children, typical of Victorian nursery verse that encouraged dreaming. |
| If All the World Were Paper | 17th century (traditional rhyme) | Unknown | England | A very old rhyme posing a fanciful hypothetical (“If all the world were paper and all the sea were ink…”). Versions of it were known by the 17th century. It is essentially a nonsense verse that invites children to imagine absurd extremes (paper world, ink seas, bread-and-cheese trees) and then asks “what should we do for drink?” – a whimsical, quasi-riddling question. Its cultural role is to spark imagination and delight in absurdity, a common theme in early nursery rhymes. |
| I’m a Little Teapot | 1939 (song release) | George H. Sanders & Clarence Kelley | United States | A popular children’s action song first published in 1939. Written by George Harold Sanders and Clarence Kelley, it teaches a short rhyme (“I’m a little teapot, short and stout…”) accompanied by hand motions imitating a teapot (one arm as the handle and one as the spout). Its cultural purpose is interactive play – it gets young children to sing and move, and it has become a staple of preschool music time worldwide. |
| Jack and Jill | c. 1765 (London, Mother Goose’s Melody) | Unknown | England | A traditional rhyme about two children fetching a pail of water and having a tumbling mishap. It was printed around 1765 in London, though the rhyme (originally “Jack and Gill”) may be older (possibly 17th-century). Over time, additional verses were added (Jack mending his head with vinegar and brown paper, etc.). While folklore connects it to various tales or people, there is no evidence for a specific origin. It endures simply as a catchy, cautionary tale of a fall. |
| Jack Be Nimble | 1820s (19th century) | Unknown | England | A short English rhyme first noted in the early 19th century. It encourages quickness and agility through the line “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick.” In old English tradition, jumping over a candlestick (without extinguishing it) was a game of luck. The rhyme likely stems from that practice, turning it into a simple, rhythmic exercise for children – one often acted out literally in play. |
| Jelly on the Plate | mid-20th century (children’s song) | Unknown | United Kingdom | A simple preschool action chant that likely emerged in the mid-20th century. It goes “Jelly on the plate, jelly on the plate, wibble wobble, wibble wobble…” and is often accompanied by children jiggling like jelly. It’s typically combined with other verses (e.g. “Sausage in the pan, frizzle frazzle…”). The rhyme’s purpose is purely participatory fun – helping young children develop rhythm and motor skills while laughing at the wobbling ‘jelly.’ |
| Jenny Wren Fell Sick | Early 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A nursery verse about “little Jenny Wren” falling ill and being nursed back to health by Robin Redbreast with sugar and wine. It appears in 19th-century collections (Jenny Wren and Cock Robin are common characters in nursery lore). This rhyme likely piggybacks on the fame of “Who Killed Cock Robin?” – here presenting a more benign vignette of care and recovery. It illustrates kindness in a gentle, child-friendly way, showing Robin helping Jenny get well. |
| Jerry Hall | 19th century (oral tradition) | Unknown (Cornish tradition) | England (Cornwall) | A short nursery rhyme (“Jerry Hall, he was so small, a rat could eat him, hat and all”) known in Cornish tradition. It humorously exaggerates Jerry’s tiny size. The rhyme was likely passed down orally in Cornwall and recorded later. Its purpose is simple fun – the outrageous image of a boy so small a rat could swallow him tickles children’s imaginations and sense of the absurd. |
| Johnny Shall Have a New Bonnet | Early 19th century | Unknown | Scotland/England | An old nursery rhyme (of 19th-century origin) promising a boy named Johnny new attire (a bonnet, a trip to the fair, a blue ribbon for his hair). It likely has Scottish roots given the phrasing “bonny brown hair.” Culturally it fits with many rhymes that involve outfitting children or going to the fair – essentially a playful song of parental (or communal) promise to a child, reflecting care and celebration (perhaps for a holiday or special outing). |
| King Boggen He Built a Fine Hall | mid-19th century | Unknown | England | A lesser-known nonsense rhyme from the 19th century about King Boggen’s fantastical hall made of food (pie-crust walls, black pudding windows, pancake roof). This rhyme is pure absurdity – a culinary castle description. It likely appeared in Victorian-era collections that loved such imaginative nonsense. Its cultural role is akin to a fairy-tale tall tale for children, with no moral other than delighting in the ridiculous imagery. |
| Ladybird, Ladybird | 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | An old rhyme (known in print since 1744) addressing a ladybird (ladybug) to “fly away home” because its house is on fire and its children are gone (save one under a pan). This verse likely originated as a rhyme to shoo the beetle off (farmers recited it to save ladybirds from crop-burning). For children, it became a gentle nature rhyme with a tinge of urgency that they find fascinating. (In essence, it encourages the bug to escape danger.) |
| Lazy Mary, Will You Get Up? | mid-19th century (traditional song) | Unknown (adapted from Italian) | England / Italy | A children’s wake-up song that likely originated as an English adaptation of an Italian folk tune. It was documented by the mid-19th century. The lyrics admonish “Lazy Mary” to get out of bed (“will you get up today?”) in a repetitive, sing-song manner. Culturally it served as a playful way to rouse a child in the morning – essentially a nursery réveille – using a melody shared with the likes of “Mulberry Bush” and known in multiple languages. |
| Little Arabella Miller | mid-20th century | Unknown | England | A short, sweet rhyme about a girl named Arabella Miller who found a fuzzy caterpillar. This rhyme is a relatively recent addition (likely mid-20th century) to nursery lore. It’s often accompanied by finger-play (wiggling a finger as the “caterpillar”). Its cultural purpose is largely for fun and developing motor coordination in toddlers – there’s no deeper moral, just the gentle humor of a caterpillar crawling on family members. |
| Little Bo Peep | 1805 (Gammer Gurton’s Garland) | Unknown | England | A well-known English nursery rhyme about a shepherdess who loses her sheep and waits for them to return “wagging their tails behind them.” It was first printed in 1805, but “Bo-Peep” as a character was referenced earlier in the late 18th century. The rhyme teaches patience and hope in a gentle way. Culturally it’s been associated with nursery games (hide-and-seek or shepherding play) and has become emblematic of pastoral nursery themes. |
| Little Boy Blue | 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | An 18th-century nursery rhyme (appearing by 1744) about a boy (a shepherd) who falls asleep, letting his sheep and cow stray into the meadow and corn. It’s often interpreted as a gentle caution against neglecting duties (the boy is found under a haystack, sleeping). Some have attempted to tie it to historical figures (like Cardinal Wolsey) or natural phenomena, but it remains primarily a simple pastoral rhyme valued for its soothing imagery of horn and hay. |
| Little Jack Jingle | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | An old nursery couplet about a man named Little Jack Jingle who lived single until he tired of it and took a wife. This short rhyme appeared in 19th-century collections. It humorously encapsulates a mini “life lesson” – that Jack got bored being single – but it’s mainly recited for its quick rhythm and rhyme. Though not among the very famous rhymes, it adds to the breadth of Mother Goose characters with its singable name “Jack Jingle.” |
| Little Miss Muffet | 1805 (Songs for the Nursery) (Little Miss Muffet – Wikipedia) | Unknown | England | A classic English nursery rhyme first printed in 1805 (Little Miss Muffet – Wikipedia). It tells of Miss Muffet, who sits eating her curds and whey only to be frightened off by a spider. The word “tuffet” (a low stool) and the scenario have intrigued readers; a persistent (but unproven) story claims the rhyme was about Patience Muffet, daughter of a 16th-century entomologist. Regardless of origin, its purpose is mainly to amuse and perhaps gently startle children (in a fun way) with the sudden spider cameo. |
| Little Polly Flinders | c. 1806 (early 19th century) | Unknown (sometimes attributed to Ann or Jane Taylor) | England | An early 19th-century rhyme about a girl, Polly Flinders, who sits among the cinders warming her toes, and then is scolded by her mother for soiling her clothes. It appeared in juvenile literature around the early 1800s. The rhyme combines a cozy domestic scene with a mild caution against being careless (“spoiling her nice new clothes”). It likely served to gently remind children to mind their behavior, reflecting the period’s domestic upbringing themes. |
| Little Tommy Tucker | 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme dating to at least 1744, about Tommy Tucker who sings for his supper. It asks what to give him (white bread and butter) and how he’ll cut it without a knife or marry without a wife. The rhyme is essentially a nonsense verse, though it might hint at the idea of earning one’s keep (Tommy must sing to be fed). It was a popular rhyme in 18th–19th-century collections and remains part of the Mother Goose canon. |
| London Bridge Is Falling Down | 17th-c. references; mid-18th-c. printed | Unknown (traditional) | England | A famous English singing-game rhyme with roots going back to the 17th century. The modern lyrics (“London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady”) were printed in the mid-18th century (London Bridge Is Falling Down – Wikipedia). Children traditionally form an arch and “capture” others as they sing. Many theories exist about its meaning – ranging from Viking attacks to burying people in the bridge’s foundations – but none are proven. It remains popular for its catchy tune and interactive play. |
| Lucy Locket | 1842 (earliest printed) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first recorded in 1842. It tells of Lucy Locket losing her pocket (a pouch tied around the waist) and Kitty Fisher finding it empty. The names refer to real 18th-century figures – Kitty Fisher was a well-known courtesan – though the rhyme’s scenario is simple. Historically, “pockets” were detachable accessories worn under skirts (Lucy Locket – Wikipedia), so the rhyme likely began as a satirical ditty in the 1700s and later became a children’s rhyme. It’s often sung to the same tune as “Yankee Doodle”. |
| Mary Had a Little Lamb | 1830 (poem by Sarah J. Hale) (Mary Had a Little Lamb – Wikipedia) | Sarah Josepha Hale | United States | An American nursery classic first published as a poem in 1830 by Sarah Josepha Hale (Mary Had a Little Lamb – Wikipedia). It was inspired by an actual incident in Massachusetts where a girl (Mary Sawyer) brought her pet lamb to school. The rhyme’s gentle narrative (“Everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go”) and its theme of pet loyalty have made it an enduring children’s favorite. (It was also famously the first audio recorded by Thomas Edison in 1877.) |
| Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary | 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first published in 1744. It asks Mary how her garden grows, with “silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row.” Many theories attempt to identify Mary (e.g. Mary Tudor “Bloody Mary” or Mary, Queen of Scots) and interpret the line as religious allegory. However, there’s no proof the rhyme was intended that way. In nursery culture it functions as a simple, melodic rhyme – often with hand motions – celebrating a make-believe garden. |
| Michael Finnegan | 1921 (Hackney Scout Song Book) | Unknown (traditional song) | Ireland / England | A cumulative comic song about an old man named Michael Finnegan who grows whiskers that blow off and grow in again, ending with “Begin again!” The earliest documented reference is in 1921 (a British Scout songbook), though it likely existed in oral tradition earlier. Often considered Irish in flavor (Finnegan being an Irish surname), it’s an “unboundedly long” song – verses can repeat indefinitely – making it a fun, never-ending ditty for children. |
| Miss Mary Mack | 1888 (collected) | Unknown (American folklore) | United States | A classic American children’s clapping rhyme about a girl dressed in black with silver buttons. An early version was collected in 1888 in Pennsylvania, and variations were noted in the early 1900s. The origin of the name is obscure – theories tie “Mary Mack” to a Civil War ship (Merrimack) or a circus elephant – but regardless, it became widespread as a hand-clap game, helping children develop rhythm and coordination through its catchy, repetitive verses. |
| Mrs. Mason Bought a Basin | Early 20th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme tongue-twister involving Mrs. Mason and others (Mrs. Tyson, Mrs. Nix, etc.) commenting on a basin. It has playful, singsong repetition and ends humorously (“Mrs. Nix, up to her tricks, threw the basin on the bricks!” in one variant). The rhyme is attested in early 20th-century collections and is mainly recited for fun with names and rhyming sounds rather than any deeper message. |
| Mulberry Bush | (See “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”) | (Same as above) | (Same as above) | (This entry refers to the same traditional song “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush,” first recorded in the 1840s and described above. It is often colloquially shortened to “Mulberry Bush,” referring to the game’s chorus.) |
| Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow | Late 18th century (English folk song) | Unknown | England | A traditional English singing game and planting song. It was known by the early 19th century (and possibly late 18th) as a circle game where a “farmer” sows seeds and finds a wife. The refrain “Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow” is repeated as children act out farming motions. Culturally, it taught children about planting cycles and social roles (choosing a partner) through play. It became popular in Britain and later in America as a preschool activity song. |
| Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be? | 1792 (popular song) | Unknown (traditional) | England | An 18th-century English song (also known by its chorus “Johnny’s so long at the fair”) that became a nursery rhyme. It was popular as a ballad around 1792–1800. The rhyme’s lyrics lament a sweetheart’s long absence at the fair (“He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons…” etc.). In nursery tradition it often survives as just the chorus line. Its cultural role started as an adult folk song and shifted into the nursery due to its memorable, plaintive refrain. |
| Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? | 1864 (song by Septimus Winner) | Septimus Winner | United States | An American song written in 1864 (originally titled “Der Deitcher’s Dog” by Septimus Winner) set to a German tune. It quickly entered children’s repertoire as the familiar “Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone? Oh where, oh where can he be?” lament. Its cultural purpose is straightforward – a sentimental, easy-to-sing song expressing the yearning for a lost pet. It’s often one of the first songs taught to young children and remains a staple of early childhood music. |
| Oh, Have You Seen the Muffin Man? | c. 1820 (London street rhyme) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme about the “Muffin Man” of Drury Lane in London. It likely originated in the early 19th century, reflecting the singsong call of muffin sellers on the streets. The earliest published versions date from around the 1820s. Culturally, it familiarized children with a common sight of daily life in that era (itinerant muffin vendors). It remains popular as a simple call-and-response song for young children. |
| Old Grumble-Gill | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A minor nursery rhyme character, “Old Grumble-Gill,” depicted with a crooked quill and letters flying off his page. This rhyme is relatively obscure, appearing in some 19th-century collections. It seems to be a bit of nonsense describing a comical old man whose writing blows away. The rhyme’s purpose is largely playful — there’s no lesson beyond the fun of the rhyme and the image of a cantankerous writer losing his letter to the wind. |
| Old King Cole | 1708 (allusion); 1810 (nursery rhyme form) | Unknown | England | A long-lived English nursery rhyme about a “merry old soul” calling for his pipe, bowl, and fiddlers three. The name appears in sources as early as 1708, and the rhyme was in print by the early 19th century. The identity of King Cole is debated – some link him to ancient British chieftains (like Coel Hen) – but there’s no firm evidence. As a nursery rhyme, it’s cherished for its simple, musical story and the jovial image of a jolly king enjoying music. |
| Old Mother Hubbard | 1805 (first published) | Sarah Catherine Martin | England | A famous nursery rhyme first published in 1805 as a lengthy illustrated poem by Sarah Catherine Martin. It follows Mother Hubbard’s comic misadventures trying to get a bone for her dog from an empty cupboard, and then the dog performing various human-like tasks. Originally a satire, it quickly became a beloved children’s rhyme. Culturally, it signaled a shift in early 19th-century children’s literature toward fanciful, humorous storytelling (away from purely instructional). The oft-quoted first stanza (“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard…”) is most remembered today. |
| Old Roger Is Dead | 19th century (children’s game song) | Unknown | England | A traditional singing game or dance rhyme about a man named Old Roger who “is dead and gone to his grave” and then has an apple tree planted on his head. Known in the 19th century, it was often acted out by children in a ring game (with one child as Old Roger). In some versions, an apple falls on Roger and he jumps up – adding a jump-scare element. The rhyme’s cultural role was to facilitate group play, mixing morbid humor with the playfulness typical of Victorian children’s games. |
| One Misty Moisty Morning | 1840s (collected by Halliwell) | Unknown (traditional) | England | An old English nursery rhyme (and folk song) describing a chance meeting on a damp, cloudy morning (“One misty, moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather, I met an old man clothed all in leather…”). James Orchard Halliwell included it in his 1840s collection, though it likely circulated earlier. It doesn’t carry a moral; it simply sets a scene and ends with a polite exchange (“How do you do?”). It’s valued for its alliterative opening and as a gentle narrative for children. |
| One, Two, Buckle My Shoe | c. 1805 (Songs for the Nursery) | Unknown | England | A traditional counting rhyme that helps children learn to count to ten. It was already in use by the early 19th century (printed c. 1805). Each number is paired with a rhyming action or image (“One, two, buckle my shoe… three, four, knock at the door… nine, ten, a big fat hen.”). The rhyme’s cultural purpose is educational – reinforcing number order through catchy rhymes – and it’s been a mainstay in nurseries and kindergartens for over two centuries. |
| One, Two, Three, Four, Five | late 18th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | A counting rhyme (to five) known by at least the late 18th century, often continuing “Once I caught a fish alive. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, then I let it go again.” It likely evolved as a simple numerical teaching aid. The scenario of catching and releasing a fish adds a little story to the numbers. Culturally, it’s used to teach counting and finger numbers to toddlers, remaining popular due to its brevity and the relatable mini-story. |
| Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, Baker’s Man | 1698 (earliest reference) | Unknown | England | One of the oldest surviving English nursery rhymes and baby games, attested as early as 1698. It involves a clapping game where a child’s hands are patted as if “making a cake.” The rhyme often includes the child’s initial (“mark it with a B…” or another letter). Historically, it’s a parent-infant interaction ditty encouraging motor skills and anticipation. Its cultural purpose remains that of an engaging first game – teaching rhythm, turn-taking, and delighting babies with the pat-a-cake ritual. |
| Pease Porridge Hot | c. 1760s (traditional rhyme) | Unknown | England | An old nursery rhyme about pease porridge (pea soup), known from the 18th century. It goes “Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot nine days old.” This likely reflects a historical reality where a pot of porridge sat and was eaten over days. Culturally, it became a bouncing rhyme or clapping game for children. The quick alternation of hot/cold and the funny idea of nine-day-old porridge simply amuse children while teaching opposites and rhythm. |
| Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater | 1825 (Mother Goose’s collection) | Unknown | United States | An early American nursery rhyme first appearing in an 1825 Mother Goose edition. It tells of Peter who couldn’t keep his wife until he “put her in a pumpkin shell” where he “kept her very well.” The rhyme likely originated in America (the pumpkin being a New World symbol) and may humorously hint at marital discord resolved by containment. Its cultural function is mainly entertainment – a slightly dark humor that children recite without context. It remains well-known for its catchy repetition and vivid pumpkin imagery. |
| Polly Put the Kettle On | 1797 (published) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme and children’s song from the late 18th century. First published in 1797, it reportedly originated in a family where the girls (like Polly) would pretend to start a tea party to get their boisterous brothers to leave the room, and then “Sukey take it off again” when the boys were gone. The rhyme reflects domestic play – children imitating putting the kettle on for tea. Culturally, it’s a playful ditty echoing a quintessential British routine (tea time), and children often act it out in play. |
| Poor Old Robinson Crusoe | mid-19th century (nursery song) | Unknown | England | A nursery jingle drawing on the famous castaway Robinson Crusoe. It was popularized in the 19th century (Crusoe’s story itself dates from 1719). The rhyme’s lyrics (“Poor old Robinson Crusoe! They made him a coat of an old nanny goat…”) come from a comedic song or pantomime adaptation of Robinson Crusoe. In children’s culture, it survived as a fragment (“Poor old Robinson Crusoe!”) used in skipping-rope chants and playground songs. It’s culturally interesting for bringing a literary character into the nursery in a lighthearted, singable form. |
| Pussycat, Pussycat | 1805 (Songs for the Nursery) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first published in 1805. It asks a cat where it has been (“I’ve been to London to visit the Queen”) and what it did there (“I frightened a little mouse under her chair”). The rhyme likely arose around the time of Queen Elizabeth I (folklore links the “queen” to her), but it’s primarily a simple, fanciful rhyme that juxtaposes something grand (visiting the Queen) with something small and mischievous (chasing a mouse). Culturally, it familiarizes children with the idea of royalty in a playful way and remains popular for its easy Q&A format. |
| Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross | 1784 (Gammer Gurton’s Garland) | Unknown | England | An old English nursery rhyme first recorded in 1784. It refers to riding a hobby-horse to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady upon a white horse with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes (“she shall have music wherever she goes”). The rhyme likely references the town of Banbury and possibly folk memories of a well-dressed lady (some say Lady Godiva, but that’s unconfirmed). Culturally, it’s a bouncing rhyme (for a child on one’s knee) combined with local color – conjuring the pomp of a fair. Its catchy rhythm and vivid description have kept it popular. |
| Ride Away, Ride Away | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A traditional nursery rhyme (likely 19th-century) about a boy named Johnny who shall ride with a kitty-cat on one side and a little dog on the other to see his grandmother. It sounds like a snippet from a longer song or game about riding to Grandma’s house. Culturally, it captures a child’s imaginative play of going on a journey with pet companions. Though not as famous as other rhymes, it lives on in nursery lore as an example of a make-believe “riding” song to bounce children on one’s knee. |
| Ring a Ring o’ Roses | 1881 (first printed) | Unknown | England | A classic singing game rhyme that first appeared in print in 1881 (Kate Greenaway’s Mother Goose). The common version “Ring-a-ring o’ roses, a pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! we all fall down” is recited while children hold hands and dance in a circle, then fall to the ground. Despite the popular myth that it references the Great Plague (roses for rashes, posies for protection, falling down as death), folklorists have found no evidence of this connection (Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Wikipedia). It is more likely just a playful ring game with a nonsense refrain. Its purpose is social play – bringing children together in a fun, physical activity. |
| Ring the Bell, Watchman | 1865 (song by Henry C. Work) | Henry C. Work | United States | A song originally written in 1865 by Henry Clay Work to celebrate the end of the Civil War (“Ring the bell, watchman!”). In children’s lore, a simplified version of this song sometimes appears as a nursery rhyme about ringing a bell to signal that all is well and it’s time to play. The version used with children typically strips away the war context and is used as a cheerful morning song. (For example, verses like “Ring the bell, watchman, ring the bell, tell the folks that all is well… it’s time to play, start the day!”) In essence, its nursery use is to signal joy and the start of a new day, quite removed from its historical origin. |
| Rock-a-bye Baby | 1765 (Mother Goose’s Melody) | Unknown | England (possibly USA) | An old lullaby first printed in Mother Goose’s Melody (London, 1765). The lyrics (“Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop… when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, and down will come baby, cradle and all”) describe a cradle falling from a tree. The origin is uncertain – some theories suggest it came from early American colonists observing Native American cradles, but it appeared in England in the 18th century. Despite the dramatic image, it has been used for centuries to lull babies to sleep with its gentle rocking rhythm. It embodies the soothing yet slightly haunting quality often found in traditional lullabies. |
| Row, Row, Row Your Boat | 1852 (music published) | Unknown (lyrics), tune by Eliphalet Oram Lyte | United States | An American nursery rhyme and round dating to the mid-19th century. The music was published in 1852, and the song gained popularity as a children’s round with the lyrics “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream; merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” Culturally, it’s both a playful activity (sung in a round by groups of children) and a philosophical little lesson (the “life is but a dream” line introducing a note of reflection). Its enduring popularity comes from its simplicity, its fun harmonizing when sung in a round, and the calming imagery of gently rowing through life. |
| Rub-a-Dub-Dub | c. 1798 (late 18th century) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first attested in the late 18th century, commonly known as: “Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub; and who do you think they be? The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker…” Early versions (e.g. 1798) actually spoke of “three maids in a tub” as part of a fair sideshow, but by the mid-19th century it evolved into the cleaner version with three tradesmen. The rhyme doesn’t have a moral; it’s essentially a bit of nonsense likely reflecting a fairground scene. Culturally, it survived as a catchy rhyme and a simple trio of archetypes, introducing children to the butcher, baker, and candlestick-maker in a whimsical context. |
| See-Saw, Margery Daw | 1765 (Mother Goose’s Melody) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme and playground song dating back to at least 1765. The rhyme (“See-saw, Margery Daw, Johnny shall have a new master…”) was associated with the motion of a see-saw. Children would chant it while playing on a teeter-totter. The line “Johnny shall have but a penny a day, because he can’t work any faster” hints at satire about labor or child work, possibly referencing workhouse life. For children, however, it mainly functions as a rhythmic accompaniment to the see-saw motion. It’s culturally notable as a rhyme directly tied to a physical game, helping children time their movements. |
| Simple Simon | 1685 (chapbook story); 1840s (nursery rhyme) | Unknown (traditional) | England | The character Simple Simon originates from a 1685 English chapbook story about his foolish adventures. The best-known nursery rhyme lines (“Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair…”) derive from that source and were popularized in nursery collections by the mid-19th century. The rhyme highlights Simon’s naïveté – asking a pie-man to let him taste a pie for free. Culturally, Simple Simon became an archetype of the “lovable fool” in nursery lore, possibly used to gently show children what not to do (expect something for nothing). Over time the longer tale was largely forgotten, but the short rhyme lives on. |
| Sing a Song of Sixpence | c. 1744 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme dating to at least 1744. It begins with “Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye; four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.” Some interpret it as a coded reference to life at court (with the king in his counting house and the queen eating bread and honey), or even a recruiting song for pirates, but these theories are unproven. It was first printed around 1744 (Sing A Song Of Sixpence – Nursery Rhymes) and has remained a beloved nonsense rhyme – children love its absurd image of birds flying out of a pie and the playful, melodic story. |
| Solomon Grundy | 1842 (James O. Halliwell collection) | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme first recorded in 1842. It chronicles the days of the week through the short life of Solomon Grundy (“born on Monday, christened on Tuesday… died on Saturday, buried on Sunday”). The rhyme’s original purpose was likely to teach children the days of the week, albeit in a morbid, memorable way. It emphasizes the cycle of life very starkly, which made it stick in children’s minds as a recitation piece. |
| Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear | Early 20th century (jump-rope rhyme) | Unknown | United States / England | A playground rhyme that became popular in the mid-20th century, often used with jump-rope or as a bedtime chant. Verses like “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around… Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground… say your prayers…” are paired with actions. Culturally it’s an interactive rhyme that helps young children with motor skills and routine (mimicking getting ready for bed). Today it’s commonly recited as both a play rhyme and a gentle way to wind down. |
| Ten in the Bed | Mid-20th century (children’s song) | Unknown | United Kingdom / United States | A counting-down bedtime song known by the mid-1900s. It starts with ten children (or toys) in a bed and one by one they roll over and fall out (“and the little one said, ‘Roll over!’”). By the end, only one is left. The rhyme teaches subtraction in a fun way and has become a staple in preschools for its easy melody and repetitive structure. |
| The Donkey | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | An old rhyme (“Donkey, donkey, old and gray, open your mouth and gently bray…”) describing a gentle old donkey. It likely dates to the 19th century. The verse is a soothing bit of rhythm and rhyme that imitates the donkey’s braying in a child-friendly manner. There’s no deeper meaning beyond affectionate humor, making it a comforting little animal rhyme for kids. |
| The Farmer in the Dell | 1820s (German origin); 1883 (U.S.) | Unknown (folk tradition) | Germany / United States | A classic circle game song that originated in Germany (“Es fuhr ein Bauer ins Holz”) in the early 19th century and became popular in America by the 1880s. Children hold hands dancing around “the farmer” in the center as the song progresses (the farmer takes a wife, the wife takes a child, and so on, until the cheese stands alone). It is culturally significant as a social game teaching about roles (farmer, wife, nurse, child, etc.) through fun and teamwork. |
| The Grand Old Duke of York | Late 18th century (oral); printed 1840s | Unknown | England | An English nursery rhyme about a Duke of York who “had ten thousand men; he marched them up to the top of the hill, and he marched them down again.” It possibly references 18th-century military events (some link it to Prince Frederick, Duke of York, in the Flanders Campaign of the 1790s), but it isn’t definitively historical. It survives as a lively marching rhyme for children, often acted out physically by going up and down as the song indicates. |
| The House That Jack Built | 1755 (published by Newbery) | Unknown (traditional) | England | A famous cumulative nursery rhyme published in 1755. It starts with “This is the house that Jack built” and adds layers in each verse (the malt, the rat, the cat, the dog, etc.), each line building on the previous ones. It has no moral but showcases sequencing and memory, making it a fun challenge for children to recite all the accumulating parts in order. Its structure has made it a lasting favorite and a model for cumulative tales in children’s literature. |
| The Man in the Moon (tumbling down) | Early 19th century (c. 1830) | Unknown | England | An old nonsense rhyme: “The man in the moon came tumbling down and asked the way to Norwich.” Recorded in early 19th-century collections, it’s a whimsical vignette with no clear meaning—likely just a fanciful image to amuse children with the idea of the man in the moon lost on Earth. It exemplifies the kind of playful absurdity common in early nursery rhymes. |
| The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late | 1923 (Tolkien poem; publ. 1962) | J. R. R. Tolkien | England | A modern addition (authored by J.R.R. Tolkien) originally appearing as a poem in the early 20th century (and later in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, 1962). It tells of the Man in the Moon staying up too late, burning his fingers on the stars and crying for the sun. While not a traditional Mother Goose rhyme, it’s included in some collections due to its fairy-tale style and the fame of its author. It reads like a whimsical pub song from a fantasy world, bridging literary work and nursery lore. |
| The Mouse and the Clock | Late 20th century (original rhyme) | Unknown | (Unknown English) | A modern, whimsical riff on the Hickory Dickory Dock theme, involving a little grey mouse running around a grandfather clock and causing mischief (nibbling the clock’s hands and spilling tea when the clock strikes twelve). This does not appear in classic Mother Goose lore, indicating it was created in recent times as a fun extension of the classic mouse-and-clock scenario for contemporary children. Its aim is purely to entertain with a new twist on a familiar rhyme. |
| The North Wind Blows So Cold | Modern (20th-century adaptation) | Unknown | England | A gentle modern rhyme likely inspired by the older verse “The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow.” In this version, the North Wind “blows so cold, so cold” but children are reassured that if they wrap up tight and count to ten, spring will come again. It serves as a seasonal lesson in patience and hope for young children, modernizing an older concept with a comforting twist. |
| The Old Woman of Harrow | 19th century (nursery limerick) | Unknown | England | A quirky old rhyme that reads like a limerick: “There was an old woman of Harrow, who visited in a wheelbarrow…” It likely comes from 19th-century nonsense-verse traditions. Like many limerick-style rhymes, its purpose is purely to amuse with its absurd image (an old woman traveling by wheelbarrow and making people stare). It’s essentially an early example of nursery nonsense for humor’s sake. |
| The Old Woman Tossed Up in a Basket | c. 1780 (traditional rhyme) | Unknown | England | A traditional nursery rhyme dating back to at least the late 18th century. It describes an old woman being tossed up in a basket “seventeen times as high as the moon.” Some versions continue with where she’s going (to sweep cobwebs or wash dishes). It’s a piece of fanciful nonsense typical of early nursery rhymes – amusing children with hyperbolic imagery of someone being flung into the sky. |
| The Owl and the Cricket | Late 20th century (original) | Unknown | (Unknown English) | A modern nursery rhyme featuring an argument between an owl and a cricket, each claiming the night for themselves (the cricket chirps “I’m music, you brute!” and the owl hoots in response). This rhyme is not found in classic collections, indicating it was created recently for its playful personification of animals. Its aim is simple fun, highlighting the contrast between the cricket’s song and the owl’s hoot during the night. |
| There Was a Crooked Man | 1842 (Halliwell collection) | Unknown | England (possibly Scotland) | A nursery rhyme first recorded in 1842 about a “crooked man” who “walked a crooked mile” and acquired various crooked things (a crooked sixpence, a crooked cat and mouse, and a crooked little house). Folklore sometimes links it to a Scottish general and the 17th-century union of crowns, but it’s likely just a nonsensical rhyme about all things crooked. It remains popular for its repetitive alliteration and imagery, which make it fun to recite. |
| There Was a Little Girl | c. 1840 (poem by H. W. Longfellow) | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | United States | A well-known children’s verse written by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the mid-19th century. It begins “There was a little girl, who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead.” It contrasts the girl’s behavior when she was good (“very, very good”) with when she was bad (“horrid”). Originally a short family poem, it entered the nursery rhyme tradition, imparting a light moral that behavior influences how one is perceived. |
| There Was a Little Man (and he had a little gun) | 1770s (18th century) | Unknown | England | An old English nursery rhyme dating back to at least the late 18th century. It tells of a little man with a little gun who goes to the brook and shoots a duck. Like many early rhymes it’s a bit violent by modern standards, but historically it was just a rhythmic couplet – possibly part of a longer lost song – that survived because of its catchy cadence and rhyme. |
| There Was a Pig Went Out to Dig | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | A quaint, lesser-known rhyme about a pig that goes out to dig (criss-cross under a twig) and then has humorous little mishaps (like snorting loud and losing his hat). It likely hails from 19th-century English nursery lore. The rhyme is simple and silly, with no moral – typical of the nonsense couplets meant to amuse young children with the image of a pig doing human-like things. |
| There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe | 1794 (printed) | Unknown | England | An enduring nursery rhyme first printed in 1794. It describes an old woman with so many children she didn’t know what to do — she gave them some broth without bread, then whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed. The harsh ending is often softened in modern versions. Historically, it may have been a light commentary on struggling large families. Despite its severity, it became a staple of Mother Goose lore due to its vivid, absurd scenario and has been adapted into gentler forms in children’s media. |
| This Is the Way We Wash Our Face | 19th–20th century (children’s song) | Unknown | England / USA | A variant of the “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” tune used to teach morning routines. Instead of washing clothes (as in the original rhyme), this version has verses like “This is the way we wash our face… so early in the morning.” It likely emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century in preschools. Its purpose is instructional play – helping children learn everyday tasks (washing face, combing hair, etc.) through song. |
| This Little Piggy | c. 1760 (Tommy Thumb’s songbook) | Unknown | England | A classic counting rhyme for infants, first seen in print around 1760. It uses each toe to represent a little piggy (“This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home…” and so on, with the last piggy crying “wee, wee, wee” all the way home). It’s used as a playful toe-tickling game with babies. Culturally, it’s significant as an early childhood activity combining language with physical interaction, helping babies associate words with a fun routine. |
| Three Blind Mice | 1609 (melody); 1842 (full rhyme) | Unknown | England | One of the oldest English nursery rhyme tunes, with a melody published in 1609 and the modern lyrics recorded by the 1840s. The rhyme follows “three blind mice” and their misadventure of having their tails cut off by a farmer’s wife. A persistent legend links it to Queen Mary I (“Bloody Mary”) and three Protestant bishops, but there’s no evidence for that. It remains popular for its simple, singable tune and repetition, often one of the first rhymes taught to children. |
| Tinker, Tailor (Counting Rhyme) | 17th century (traditional) | Unknown | England | An old counting-out rhyme listing professions (“Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief…” and sometimes further: “doctor, lawyer, Indian chief”). Its roots go back to at least the 17th century in England, used by children to choose who will be “It” in games. Culturally it’s notable for reflecting a range of social roles, and it’s even been used as a folk method of fortune-telling about whom one will marry. The rhyme’s cadence and list format have also inspired literary titles (e.g. John le Carré’s spy novel). |
| To Babyland | Late 19th century (children’s verse) | Unknown (possibly by George Cooper) | United States / England | A tender lullaby-like rhyme that speaks of sailing to “Babyland” under evening skies. It likely originated in the late Victorian era as a poem in children’s literature or songbooks. The verse is filled with gentle imagery of lullabies for the evening and dreams to carry the child, aiming to soothe infants to sleep. Though not as famous as “Rock-a-bye Baby,” it represents the kind of sentimental cradle song popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. |
| To Market, To Market | 1805 (Songs for the Nursery) | Unknown | England | A traditional nursery rhyme with roots in early 19th-century England (printed in 1805). It starts “To market, to market to buy a fat pig; home again, home again, jiggety-jig.” The rhyme mimics the rhythm of a trotting pig and possibly originated as a market trader’s jingle. Culturally, it gives a glimpse into everyday life (going to market and coming home) and has survived as a bouncy, fun chant. It’s sometimes used while bouncing a child on one’s knee to the “jiggety-jig” rhythm. |
| Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son | 1795 (printed in London) | Unknown | England | A nursery rhyme dating to the late 18th century. It tells how Tom, the piper’s son, stole a pig and ran away, only to get beaten. (Historically, “pig” in this context may have meant a pig-shaped pastry, not a live pig.) The rhyme likely began as a satirical verse about misbehavior. For children, it became a catchy little story-song, albeit one with a mischievous protagonist and a consequence. It is notable for its lively rhythm and narrative style, which set it apart from simpler rhymes. |
| Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks | 1780s–early 1800s (traditional song) | Unknown | England | A short nursery rhyme couplet that goes: “Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks were walking out one Sunday. Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks, ‘Tomorrow will be Monday.’” It likely originates from a late 18th or early 19th-century song. The rhyme itself is a simple observation with a hint of humor (stating the obvious that the next day is Monday). Often used as a harmless teasing or closing verse in children’s rhyme collections, it endures for its simplicity and rhyme. |
| Tweedle Dee Dee | 20th century (nursery song) | Unknown | United States / England | A modern nursery rhyme with a title echoing the famous characters from Alice in Wonderland, though the rhyme itself stands alone. In one version, it describes a cat in a cupboard that won’t come out, a dog digging a hole in the garden, and a bird in the chimney – each causing playful trouble. It likely surfaced in the 20th century as a fun rhyming list of animal antics. Its purpose is simply to delight with its rhythm and the catchy “tweedle dee dee, tweedle dee dum” refrain, rather than to convey a lesson. |
| Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star | 1806 (Rhymes for the Nursery) | Jane Taylor | England | One of the most famous children’s lullabies, published in 1806 as “The Star” by English poet Jane Taylor. Its well-known opening lines (“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are”) are sung to a French melody (“Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” – also used for “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” and the Alphabet song). Culturally, it’s a gentle song of wonder that introduces children to poetry and the night sky. It has remained universally popular for over two centuries and is often one of the first songs children learn. |
| Up the Wooden Hill to Bedfordshire | Early 20th century (WWI-era saying/song) | Unknown (popularized in music halls) | England | A colloquial British saying turned bedtime song meaning “up the stairs to bed.” It became popular during World War I and II eras as a sentimental tune (Vera Lynn famously sang a version in the 1940s). In nursery usage, it’s a gentle prompt for children to go to bed. The rhyme in the document (“Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire, shh, not a sound… count the sheep… it’s time for sleep”) is a modern lullaby variant using the phrase. It encapsulates the bedtime routine in a soothing way, turning the climb up the stairs into a magical journey. |
| Wee Willie Winkie | 1841 (Scots poem by William Miller) | William Miller | Scotland | A Scottish nursery rhyme written in 1841 by poet William Miller. It features Wee Willie Winkie running through the town in his nightgown, knocking at windows and crying through locks to ensure children are in bed by eight o’clock. Originally in Scots dialect, it quickly entered the English nursery canon. Its cultural role is essentially as a personification of bedtime – Willie Winkie is like a “town crier” for lights-out. The rhyme’s catchy name and imagery have made it a bedtime staple. |
| When I Was a Bachelor | 19th century (nursery rhyme) | Unknown | England | An old cumulative rhyme about a bachelor living by himself and the escalating trouble with rats and mice eating his food, forcing him to go “to London to buy me a wife.” It appears in 19th-century collections. The rhyme humorously suggests that a wife would solve the housekeeping woes. Culturally, it reflects a bygone sentiment (that a man alone can’t manage a home well) presented in a playful, rhythmic manner for children. Each verse adds more chaos, making it a fun memory challenge as well. |
| When I Was One (I Had Just Begun) | 1927 (A. A. Milne, Now We Are Six) | A. A. Milne | England | These opening lines (“When I was one, I had just begun. When I was two, I was nearly new…”) come from a poem by A.A. Milne in Now We Are Six (1927). In it, the child narrator recounts their age and a whimsical thought about each year. It’s often treated as a standalone nursery rhyme for each age up to five. Its cultural charm lies in the child’s perspective on growing older. It’s used in nurseries to introduce the concept of aging in a sweet, rhyming way, often with children reciting the verse corresponding to their age. |
| Who’s That Tapping at My Window? | 20th century (children’s rhyme) | Unknown | England | A gentle rhyme often used as a lullaby or quiet-time verse. The version here (“Who’s that tapping at my window pane? Is it the robin come back again? No, it’s the wind with a howling shout, dancing with leaves and blowing them out.”) personifies the wind as a playful visitor. Earlier traditional versions sometimes mention elves or fairies tapping at the window, but this modern variant teaches children about natural sounds (a bird vs. the wind) in a comforting way. Its purpose is to address children’s curiosity or anxiety about nighttime noises by giving a friendly explanation — often, it’s just the wind making its rounds. |
Sources: Key details have been drawn from historical nursery rhyme collections and scholarly references, including Opie’s Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, traditional song indexes, and Wikipedia entries for verification of dates and origins. Each rhyme’s information above reflects the most commonly cited origins and meanings from folklore research.
