What does goosey goosey gander mean?

Goosey Goosey Gander The most popular interpretation of this nursery rhyme is that it's a reference to religious persecution. Specifically, anti-Catholic sentiment in England forced Catholic families to hide their priests (the “old man” of the rhyme) in their houses in special rooms called priest holes.

bookriot.com - The Origins and Possible Meanings of 6 Nursery Rhymes | Book Riot

Can cinnamon be toxic to the liver?

Cinnamon Risks While this spice has many favourable aspects, there is a downside to most types of cinnamon: coumarin. Coumarin is a chemical...

Last updated Jan 25, 2022

How do you clean smelly armpits?

Baking Soda You can take a small amount of baking soda and mix a little bit of water to form a semi-solid paste. Apply this paste to your armpits...

Last updated May 6, 2020

7-second natural hack eats through 64lbs of belly flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

Nursery rhymes are weird, right? All that talk of tuffets and bridges falling down…Most of us learned these rhymes as toddlers and have been reciting them from memory ever since, giving no thought to what we’re actually saying. For an over-thinker like me, this is simply not acceptable, and I decided to dig into some nursery rhymes’ meanings. One of the first things I learned in my research is that nursery rhymes are often many centuries old, so it’s difficult to know their origins, never mind their meanings. In fact, some researchers suggest that the alleged political origins of many nursery rhymes are pure nonsense. So, by necessity, this article is less about pinning down the One True Meaning behind any given nursery rhyme and more about exploring the different ways people ascribe significance to the meaningless and ridiculous. And honestly, a lot of nursery rhymes are so vague that you could say they’re about literally anything and it would still make sense. In fact, I’m going to do that too: after discussing the “actual” meanings, I’m going to tack on my own for fun. Now let’s go read about some nursery rhymes meanings!

Goosey Goosey Gander

Goosey goosey gander, wither shall I wander?

Upstairs and downstairs and in my lady’s chamber

There I met an old man who wouldn’t say his prayers

Take him by the left leg, throw him down the stairs

Well, that took a turn. The most popular interpretation of this nursery rhyme is that it’s a reference to religious persecution. Specifically, anti-Catholic sentiment in England forced Catholic families to hide their priests (the “old man” of the rhyme) in their houses in special rooms called priest holes. (Yes, I will give you a minute to stop snickering.) Other people, however, suggest that the rhyme is about sex, because why not?

The Kids Are All Right Newsletter Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

What food did America actually invent?

S'mores, Twinkies, hamburgers, fortune cookies – the USA has a long list of indulgent food inventions. Whether you're planning a food-themed...

Last updated Mar 8, 2022

Can you ever come off blood pressure medication?

As you lose weight, it may be possible to reduce your dose of blood pressure medication — or stop taking blood pressure medication completely....

Last updated Jun 26, 2020

Purple weed obliterates 72lbs of flab

The main ingredient for a potent powdered supplement, based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

My Meaning: Untitled Goose Game: 16th Century Edition.

Jack Sprat

Jack Sprat could eat no fat

His wife could eat no lean

And so between them both, you see,

They licked the platter clean

I’ve seen multiple explanations for this little ditty, which originated around 1639. The most common one appears to be that it’s about the shenanigans of King Charles I (and his wife, Henrietta Maria), who dissolved parliament and imprisoned some of its members after they wouldn’t let him introduce all the taxes he wanted.

My Meaning: Carnivores and vegans CAN get along!

Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey

Along came a spider who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away

This one is supposedly either a comment on the reaction of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Knox, a prominent minister who had it out for the Scottish royal family, or just a silly rhyme about the writer’s stepdaughter. You decide! My Meaning: A morality tale on the importance of always keeping bug spray handy.

Ring Around the Rosie/Ring a Ring o’ Roses

Ring around the rosie

A pocket full of posey

Ashes! Ashes!

We all fall down!

I was all set to tell you a sordid tale about how this song refers to the Black Plague, because that’s the origin story I was familiar with. But despite the talk of ashes and falling down (i.e. dying, supposedly), there is no proof whatsoever that that’s the true meaning behind the rhyme. So what’s the real explanation? One theory holds that the lyrics don’t mean anything. They were just something for kids to recite as they skipped in a ring—the closest young Protestants could come to dancing in the 1880s, as their elders had banned that particular form of entertainment.

What happens when you drink spinach smoothie everyday?

Green smoothies are rich with chlorophyll which some natural health experts say enhances the immune system, purifies the blood and rejuvenates the...

Last updated Mar 27, 2021

How do you cleanse your body with lemon water?

The Most Common Ways to Detox Fasting for 1–3 days. Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, water, and tea. Drinking only specific...

Last updated Sep 14, 2022

Traditional “juice” activates 24/7 fat-burning

A potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favored beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

My Meaning: The ring of roses is a fairy circle, and the poseys are a ward meant to protect the singer from the fairies. It did not work.

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocketful of rye

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie

When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing

Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?

We don’t have the slightest idea where this one came from. We do, however, know that an alternate version of the third line, recorded in 1744, read “four and twenty naughty boys.” Gruesome. Even more gruesome than baking live blackbirds into a pie—which was absolutely a thing in the 16th and 17th centuries.

My Meaning: I like Snopes’s take.

This is the House That Jack Built

This is the house that Jack built.

This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built… No, not the pop song. This seemingly endless nursery rhyme (after the cat, we get a dog, a cow, a maiden, a man, and so forth) is rumored to have been based on the 17th-century Cherrington Manor in Shropshire, England. Or at least, that’s what the residents of Shropshire would like you to believe.

My Meaning: Don’t visit Jack’s house, he’s busy.

bookriot.com - The Origins and Possible Meanings of 6 Nursery Rhymes | Book Riot

How long does it take to get rid of sugar face?

72 to 96 hours Dermatologists believe that within just 72 to 96 hours of a sugar detox, most people regain a better skin tone, even complexion, and...

Last updated Apr 15, 2021

What are the healthiest fruits to put in a smoothie?

Best Fruits for Smoothies Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) Mango. Pineapple. Peach. Banana. Apple. Melon. Cherries....

Last updated Dec 19, 2019

Fizzy juice “eats through” 59lbs of stubborn fat

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

How much water should a 72 year old woman drink a day?

Again, the recommendation for older adults is to consume at least 1.7 liters/day, which corresponds to at least 57.5 fluid ounces. In the US, where...

Last updated Feb 16, 2021

Strange purple cocktail removes 2.7lbs every 4 days

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What can I drink for energy?

Healthy Energy Drinks: Delicious and Nutritious Yerba Mate. Yerba mate is a drink that is fast gaining popularity around the world. ... Green Tea....

Last updated Feb 15, 2022