ROMANCE OF THE NURSERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 5 (Supplement)

ROMANCE OF THE NURSERY.

HISTORIC RHYMES.

Is a quaint appeal to children the Rev. H. J. Davis, Vicar of Ye,almpton, Devon, made an interesting reference to the origin of the "nursery rhyme, "Old Mother Hubbard." According to the vicar,' the famous . character was housekeeper to the squire of • Yealrapton over 100 years ago, and the rhyme about her and her dog was written by Sarah Catherine Martin.

The origin of many of our nursery rhymes is very interesting. "The House that Jack Built," it is stated, was an adaptation of a Chaldee hymn, symbolisms events in the history of the Hebrew nation. "Jack Sprat" was no less exalted a personage than Archdeacon Sprat, whos name appeared in the original version. A romantic history attaches to ''Little Jack Horner," who was steward to the Abbot of Glatsonbury. The latter wished tc appease King Henry VIII., who was in dignant because the monks had built a. kitchen which he could not bum down. The abbot accordingly despatched Jack Horner ■ with a specially tempting-looking pie, which was filled inside with the title deeds .of twelve monasteries, .as a present to., the King. Jack Horner slyly abstracted one deed, which was that referrins to the Manor of Wells, and on his return to Glastonbury he informed the abbot that the deed has been given to him by the King. The rhyme was founded on this incident, the "plum" which he j abstracted being the title-deed of Wells.

"Hrimpty Dumpty" is said to have been a bold, bad baron in the time of King John; • "The Babes in the Wood" had their origin in an actual crime committed in the fifteenth century, and the story mav be seen carved on the mantelpiece of an ancient house in Norfolk. "Little 80-Peep" was not a maiden, but the holy friar ("boo" or "bod" being a contraction of the word for messenger) who, in. AngloSaxon days, went round-collecting for the monasteries. .The "sheep" referred to the congregation, and their "tails" to the contributions they would bring in with them. "Jack and Jill" is supposed to refer to the complete amalgamation between the Saxons and Normans.

i.A^ ne of our best-known nursery rhymes, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb," comes from America. Some of the verses were written by a schoolboy, named John Rolkton, who attended the same school at ■Massachusetts to which "Mary" went with her little pet. • A long time afterwards the poem was completed by Mrs. Sarah Hall, a well-known author. At a fair at Boston, many years ago a stocking knitted from the woven fleece of the famous lamb was ravelled out, end pieces were sold wish the autograph of "Mary," then an aged lad v. attached ; and so great was the demand that over £30 was raised from the stocking for the funds of the Old South Church.