The True History of Nursery Rhymes

Jack and Jill, skipping down the hill, what is more harmless than that? You would never guess what the childrens saying is really about. The nursery rhyme 'Jack and Jill' was started in France. Jack and Jill are said to be King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, a couple beheaded during the Reign of Terror in 1793. The rhyme was first published two years later, in 1795.

Little Bo Peep is a young shepherdess who has lost her sheep, due to dozing off on the job. She finds them eventually, but not without consequences. 'Little Bo Peep' rhyme has been shortened for the present day and sugar coated, like many old nursery rhymes. This rhyme does not seem to be based on a real event in history but rather constructed to teach children that they cannot fall asleep on the job without consequences.

Ring Around the Rosy, a nursery rhyme that was invented amidst the horror of the bubonic plague. It is known that it dates back to the mid sixteen hundreds, but is possible it has been around since 1300. The terms 'ring around the rosy' were named after the rash in the shape of a ring on the bodies of the infected. Pouches of sweet smelling herbs, or posies were carried by sufferers as the disease omitted an odor. 'Ashes' comes from the mass cremations that were done due to the amount of bodies.

The correct name of Rockabye Baby is actually Hushabye Baby. It comes from a pilgrim boy in America witnessing Native American mothers suspending birch bark cradles from a tree, thus allowing the wind to rock the baby to sleep.