Nursery Rhymes

Being a mother, and considering all the reading we do here, we read a lot of nursery rhymes. I never paid much attention to them until recently. Once I pay attention to them, I find they are really weird and sometimes disturbing. There's a lot of falling down (Jack and Jill, Rock a Bye Baby, Humpty Dumpty), some abuse (Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, Goosey Goosey Gander), and some just plain odd (Hey Diddle Diddle, Rub a Dub Dub). Who comes up with these notions of cows jumping over moons and people jumping over candlesticks? WHY are you jumping over a candlestick?

Now, being the sort of person I am, I have to figure this out, so I do a little research. I was already aware of "Ring around the Rosy" being a symbolic rhyme of the bubonic plague. I find it disturbing to say "ashes, ashes!" and fall down, since I am apparently pretending I am being cremated and dying. For that matter [of morbidity], there's the rhyme Mary Mary Quite Contrary. Apparently, Mary was more contrary than we realize, as we happily sing methods of torture to our children. (Pic: Lara loves her some chocolate!)

Okay, so take away those morbid nursery rhymes, and let's look at just the silly ones. What will I say to my children when they one day ask, "Mom, why are there 3 men in a tub?" and "Hey, Mom, how do you put someone in a pumpkin shell?" These innocent little rhymes are really not so innocent.

Lara is just not so sure she can keep reading these!! I read up on the history behind Rock a Bye, Baby and Hey Diddle Diddle.

Anyway, hands-down it's time to invent some new ones. In the meantime, I'll simply have to make some changes.

Rock a Bye Baby, in the tree top
While the wind blows, the cradle won't fall
I'll keep you safe, while you're up so high
And you'll dream sweet dreams all through the night