2006-06-10 02:22:11 · 14 answers · asked by Andrew B 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Mother Goose's Tales began life in Tudor England shortly after Henry dissolved the Catholic Church and set up shop as England's new godhead so he could divorce Katharine of Aragon, marry Anne Boleyn and hopefully get a son off her.
The original verses were sharply satirical in nature. They were the only way for the people to let old Hal know how disgusted they were with him. And thus began the great British tradition of doggerel.
Masters of the quick quip used the venue to vent their spleens on any issues that came to their attention. It was a form of propaganda, ie, enlisting the masses to YOUR way of thinking by making other ways look silly or evil.
EXAMPLE:
Little Jack Horner = Cardinal Wolsey
sat in a corner = wannabe power behind the throne
eating his Christmas pie = he'd just gotten himself appointed Chamberlain, a really head honcho position.
He stuck in his thumb = a reference akin to sticking your nose in
And pulled out a plum = that "plum" position (and now you know where THAT phrase came from)
and said, "What a good boy am I." = He threw a whale of a party to celebrate his elevation. Spent most of it backslapping and telling everyone how much he'd do for them if they backed him up on the divorce issue.
Pity the old boy failed. Cause it was that failure that made Henry break with Rome and start his own church.
2006-06-10 07:22:40 · answer #1 · answered by Granny Annie 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because some of them were written during violent times and often served as a warning as well as something to tell the kids at night, kind of like the songs the slaves used to sing illustrating a path to the north, for example.
2006-06-11 14:45:57 · answer #2 · answered by Caduceus89 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well most of our nursery rhymes were created in darker times and like everyone else is saying they were made to scare children .
2006-06-10 03:12:43 · answer #3 · answered by shellers 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard this about Ring Around The Rosie:
Ring around the rosie - the rash caused by the plague
A pocket full of posies - a posie (small bouquet of flowers), as the odor was believed to ward off the disease
Ashes, Ashes - Achoo! Achoo!
We all fall down - dead
2006-06-10 12:46:16 · answer #4 · answered by Taffy Saltwater 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They came from great Britain during the times when royalty was tough on the people. Many are actually short true stories mocking the tyrants.
2006-06-10 02:28:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh my gosh, my nephew had a class about this. it was soooo interesting. old nursery rhymes are about so much more then you realize. Mary Mary quite contrary is about queen Mary... how does your garden grow? refers to her garden of heads she chopped off... humpty dumpty sat on a wall, humpty dumpty had a great fall, refers to the rise and fall of a great king (cant remember who) anyway, they all have deep meaning. i want to learn more about this myself
2006-06-10 03:50:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To frighten the children of course
2006-06-10 02:26:35 · answer #7 · answered by nanavines 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because their original intent was to scare children into not doing something dangerous.
2006-06-10 02:27:55 · answer #8 · answered by i_am_rocco_35 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think it was made to scare little children from doing bad things like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"
2006-06-10 04:01:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ring around the rosie....that was about the black plaque..i heard.
2006-06-10 04:40:22 · answer #10 · answered by JenniT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋