All Info About Nursery Rhymes

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Eena Meena Miny Mo

Eena, meena, mina, mo,
Catch a nigger by the toe;
If he squeals let him go,
Eeena, meena, mina, mo.

Nursery rhyme origin

Whilst there are versions of the first line of this rhyme in both German and Cornish, the two middle lines, it is agreed, undoubtedly originated from America.

The rhyme is used to choose who is ‘it’ in children’s games.

NOTE: To those of you who are offended by this rhyme, please remember that this site is dedicated to the history of rhymes. I certainly don’t suggest that it is used today in this format, I’m merely showing the original. All children in British schools use a variety of other (what are deemed less offensive) terms nowadays.

Doctor Foster

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.

Nursery rhyme origin

There is a popular theory in the West Country that Doctor Foster was in fact Edward I. He was rumoured to have visited Gloucester on horseback, but the city streets were so deep with mud that his horse floundered and planks had to be laid down to help the horse to regain it’s footing. Edward swore he would never visit the city again after this distressing incident.

Ding dong bell

Ding, dong bell,
Pussy’s in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Green.
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Stout.
What a naughty boy was that
To try to drown poor pussy cat,
Who never did him any harm
And killed the mice in his father’s barn.

Nursery rhyme origin

Versions of this very old nursery rhyme date back to the late 16th century.

Shakespeare used ‘Ding, dong, bell’ in The Merchant of Venice, Act III, Scene II:

“Let us all ring fancy’s bell;
I’ll begin it – Ding, dong, bell.”

And in The Tempest, Act I, Scene II:

“Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! Now I hear them – Ding, dong, bell.”

Diddle, diddle dumpling

Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John,
Went to bed with his trousers on;
One shoe off, one shoe on,
Diddle, diddle dumpling my son John.

Origin

Hot dumpling sellers in old London town used to cry out “Diddle Diddle Dumpling” when selling their wares. The John in this rhyme sounds as though he may have been a bit diddled the night before, and probably not from eating dumplings!

Curly Locks

Curly Locks, Curly Locks,
Will you be mine?
You shall not wash dishes,
Nor feed the swine,
But sit on a cushion
And sew a fine seam,
And sup upon strawberries, sugar, and cream.

Origin

An unsubstantiated theory is that Curly Locks could be Charles II. One version of the rhyme was used as a courtship rhyme in Cumberland in the early 19th century.