Nursery rhymes like “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, “Jack and Jill”, and “Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater” have gained worldwide recognition and are often recited to young children. Despite their innocent appearance, these rhymes actually convey sinister and violent messages. Personally, some of the nursery rhymes that deeply affected me from my childhood include “Ring around the Rosy”, “Humpty Dumpty”, “Rock-a-Bye, Baby”, “London Bridge”, “Jack be Nimble”, and “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary”. Unfortunately, these seemingly playful rhymes hold dark implications unsuitable for young children. Unlike soothing lullabies such as “Rock-a-Bye, Baby,” Humpty Dumpty tells a story with its rhyme:
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s Horses and all the King’s men,
couldn’t put Humpty together again”(Brainz).
In this rhyme, Humpty is portrayed as a boy in the form of an egg who sits on a wall but gets knocked over. Upon impact, he breaks into pieces that cannot be restored.
The Humpty Dumpty rhyme, although commonly known as a nursery rhyme, has a deeper meaning. In the 16th century, there was an alcoholic beverage made from brandy and eggs that gave rise to this rhyme. It was used to describe anyone who was clumsily intoxicated, regardless of their gender. These individuals were well-known for their frequent stumbling and falling.
Additionally, during the English Civil War in 1641, there was a wall with a large cannon named “Humpty” in Colchester. The choice of the name likely came from the cannon’s peculiar and awkward appearance.
Since its recognition as being about a cannon, the rhyme has led to the downfall of the wall. It gained global fame and multiple interpretations over its 400-year existence. Despite acquiring new meanings, it has maintained its original significance (Roberts). The well-known lullaby “Rock-a-Bye, Baby,” often sung in a soothing manner, effectively puts children to sleep. However, is that truly the reality?
In this rhyme, a person is depicted as being exceedingly violent, causing distressing nightmares for children. The rhyme goes, “Rock-a-bye, baby, in the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, and down will come baby, cradle and all” (Brainz). The mere depiction of this scenario is unsettling – imagining babies up in trees and trees crashing down, with the baby and cradle plummeting to the ground. Is it possible that they are falling to their demise? Some parents reassure their children that their mothers are waiting below to catch them and keep them safe.
According to Brainz, some children may have nightmares because they find it difficult to believe the true origin of a nursery rhyme. The origin dates back to the time of the Pilgrims when a young Pilgrim observed Native American mothers hanging their infants in baskets from trees. The wind would gently rock the infants to sleep, but sometimes it would blow too strongly and harm or even kill them. This nursery rhyme has a dark and frightening undertone.
Another rhyme, commonly heard on Barney, called “London Bridge,” is not suitable for children. By listening to the lyrics, one can infer that it refers to a bridge collapsing:
“London Bridge is falling down, down.
Falling down, falling down, down.
London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.
Take a key and lock her up,
Lock her up, lock her up,
Take a key and lock her up,
My fair lady.”
This rhyme is twisted throughout and contains hidden meaning related to Anne Boleyn’s rise and fall during her marriage with King Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn was accused of incest and adultery and ultimately imprisoned for treason before being executed (Brainz).
Another dark and violent nursery rhyme called “Brainz” has emerged, following in the footsteps of similar unsettling rhymes. In contrast, there is a seemingly innocent and catchy rhyme that goes: “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candle stick.” You may wonder what the significance of jumping over candle sticks is. Surprisingly, this simple nursery rhyme holds a deeper meaning. It is actually about Black Jack, a notorious English pirate who was renowned for his ability to consistently evade capture by authorities during the 16th century. Hence the line “Jack be nimble” signifies his agility and cleverness in escaping. Furthermore, the phrase “jumping over a candle stick” is believed to be a reference to an older English game known as candle stick jumping.
Candle stick jumping was originally a sport involving jumping over fires, but it was deemed too dangerous and subsequently prohibited. It was then replaced by the less risky activity of candlestick jumping. Aside from these aspects, the rhyme is short and lacks further information (Alchin). “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” is a well-known nursery rhyme that depicts a little girl planting flowers and adorning them with decorations to create a beautiful garden. This rhyme is often perceived as sweet and charming. The lines go as follows: “Mary, Mary quite contrary.”
“How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row” (Anderson). This seemingly beautiful and sweet rhyme holds a much darker meaning. In fact, it contains a sick and sinister reference. Interestingly, the phrase “Mary, Mary” is actually a reference to Bloody Mary. Surprisingly, the mention of a garden pertains to the expansion of cemeteries where Bloody Mary was burying Protestants. The seemingly innocent silver bells and cockle shells mentioned in the rhyme were actually symbols of instruments of torture.
The maiden, a device used for beheading, reveals the prevalence of violence in nursery rhymes. Children should not be exposed to such violence, as it may contribute to nightmares. These sick and twisted nursery rhymes from Europe hold deeper meanings behind the seemingly innocent “Ring around the Rosy”, “Humpty Dumpty”, “Rock-a-Bye, Baby”, “London Bridge”, and “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.” The true meanings remain hidden from the young audience who hear these rhymes most frequently.
Despite their violent and demented meanings, nursery rhymes can bring calm and joy to children. They often aid in putting kids to sleep. However, it is important to be aware of the true meanings behind these rhymes before reciting them. Some of these rhymes have been linked to causing nightmares. Consider if this may be the reason your children are experiencing bad dreams.
