Another nursery rhyme that I love as it rolls off my tongue is Goosey Goosey Gander. It is one that can be chanted and skipped to or one that can be said with malice and intent.
Childhood nursery rhyme books had pretty little drawings of geese, languishing women and comical men tripping down stairs. It is only as an adult I discovered some of the historical meanings behind the accident-prone old man and the goose wandering around a woman's bedroom!
Goosey Goosey Gander whither shall I wander,
Upstairs, downstairs and in my lady's chamber
There I met an old man who wouldn't say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs.
Again a rhyme filled with history and representation, the earliest form is thought to date back to the 16th century.
The lady's chamber mentioned refers to a room known as a 'Solar' which was an area in a castle that was used by the lord or lady as a bedroom. Originally it had been part of the hall which was partitioned off from the hoi polloi to allow some privacy.
During the 16th century, Catholic priests would have to hide to avoid persecution, performing ceremonies is secrecy within private households. Within these houses were built 'Priest Holes' which were bolt holes in which, during a zealous search, the priest could hide.
It is thought that the reference to 'an old man who wouldn't say his prayers' is a Catholic priest praying (in forbidden Latin and not in English) with the lady of the household in the Solar. The line with the old man being thrown down the stairs by his 'left-leg' is also an indicator that he was a Catholic priest, as a 'left-footer' is used as a religious slur.
Cromwell's soldiers marched in 'goose step' which alludes to the first line of the rhyme. His Roundheads (soldiers) were used to search the houses for Catholic Priests and the line mentioning the man being thrown down stairs is a light reference to the fact both the priest and the family would more than likely be executed for their beliefs.
Interesting, isn't it? That persecution, execution, subversion and suppression can be chanted happily by children without even knowing the origins!
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Also interesting is that recently friends decided to re-decorate their kitchen. This entailed pulling out the old units which exposed the original stone wall and plaster. Having done so, they discovered a part of their wall beneath their stone steps had some sort of secret covering. They knocked it down and discovered a 'man-sized' hole, just enough space to hide.......
Final bit of waffle - that photograph - I suffered..for..my..art..with..
those..birds.They insisted that I was worthy of a breakfast. Ouch.
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** My information has been garnered over the years, from books, the tinter, from amateur research and general curiosity - there is a lot more out there and this is only what I have learnt and discovered, if you know of a different version or slant, I would love to hear it. I am not out to offend any one!!
