Bonaparte

New rhyme of the week:

BONAPARTE

Baby, baby, naughty baby,
Hush you squalling thing, I say,
Peace this moment, peace, or maybe,
Bonaparte will pass this way.

Baby, baby, he's a giant,
Tall and black as Rouen steeple,
And he breakfasts, dines, rely on't,
Every day on naughty people.

Baby, baby, if he hears you,
As he gallops past the house,
Limb from limb at once he'll tear you,
Just as pussy tears a mouse.

And he'll beat you, beat you, beat you,
And he'll beat you all to pap,
And he'll eat you, eat you, eat you,
Every morsel snap, snap, snap.

Which is a type of nursery rhyme which hopes to obtain peace by intimidation. Here Bonaparte, as in Napoleon Bonaparte, was used but any character could be used instead. Napoleon was probably used as he would stir feelings of patriotism were stirred in small children, as well as fear, for, when Napoleon blockaded Great Britain, children could no longer have sweets, a source for great sadness for children even then. Other historical figures used included Menshikov, a Russian commander in the Crimean War and Wellington. This rhyme dates from 1836 or earlier.

Credit where due goes to this site and The Oxford Dictionary Of Nursery Rhymes (edition 2), edited by Iona and Peter Opie.

To learn more about Napoleon, we recommend going here, for a overview, or here, for more detail.

This week's old favourite is:

MARY MARY QUITE CONTRARY

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

This rhyme is rumored to have a religious background, with the bells being sanctus bells, the cockleshells the pilgrims badges and the pretty maids the nuns. Alternatively, popular tradition says that the original Mary was Mary, Queen of Scots, with the pretty maids being he ladies in waiting, the silver bells referring to jewelry and cockle shells as dress decorations, or that all three were instruments of torture. However, there is no proof that this rhyme was known before the 18th century. Regardless of the possible meanings, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, remains one of the most loved nursery rhymes of today.

Credit goes to rhymes.org.uk for the most macabre theory, and once again to The Oxford Dictionary Of Nursery Rhymes, for everything else.

To learn more about Mary, Queen of Scots, try going here, for overview, or here, for more depth.

If anyone wants to know more about a rhyme, feel free to leave a comment and I'll do my best to help,

Evelyn