0:01
we all love nursery rhymes and lullabies
0:03
and our kids love them too singing them
0:06
with your children can bring about lots
0:08
of fun as well as other important
0:10
benefits but do you know the stories and
0:13
meanings behind some of these nursery
0:14
rhymes that you and your kids can't seem
0:16
to get enough of there is more to these
0:19
innocent songs than meets the
0:21
eye today we'll explore the stories and
0:23
true meanings behind some of the most
0:27
songs many of these Rhymes don't have
0:29
the brightest Origins they often have
0:32
dark themes ranging from violence to
0:37
death let's start with baa black
0:42
sheepa black sheep have
0:45
any yes sir yes sir three bags full one
0:51
for the master and one for the D and one
0:55
for the little boy who lives down the
1:00
Black Sheep any is this song really
1:04
about sheep for several years the song
1:07
has been given a number of meanings by
1:10
interpreters the most common
1:12
interpretation is that it was written as
1:13
a protest against the medieval English
1:16
wool trade tax of the 13th century under
1:19
King Edward I a third of the money made
1:21
from a sack of wool went to the king
1:24
leaving little for the shepherd boy
1:26
another interpretation suggests it talks
1:28
about the slave trade with the words
1:30
master and black being seen as racially
1:33
offensive this has led to many
1:35
kindergarten teachers altering the
1:37
lyrics to make them less
1:39
offensive next we have Jack and
1:43
Jill the song's lyrics talk about two
1:45
characters who climb up a hill to fetch
1:47
water only for Jack to fall and break
1:49
his crown with Jill tumbling
1:52
after Jack and Jill went up the hill to
1:55
fetch a pale of water Jack fell down and
2:02
one interpretation links Jack and Jill
2:04
to King Louis the 16th of France and his
2:07
wife Marie Antoinette who were both
2:09
executed during the French Revolution
2:12
another theory suggests it's about King
2:14
Charles I of England and his clever tax
2:18
beverages moving on to a title that
2:20
hasn't aged well Three Blind
2:28
Mice this rhyme is report reportedly
2:30
about Queen Mary the first of England
2:32
also known as Bloody Mary the farmer's
2:35
wife refers to Queen Mary and the three
2:37
blind mice are believed to be three
2:39
Protestant Bishops who were executed
2:42
orders London Bridge is Falling Down is
2:44
another rhyme with multiple theories
2:56
down some say it's about the Vikings
2:59
attack on the bridge Bridge While others
3:01
believe it's about the practice of
3:02
burying children in the Bridge's
3:04
foundations to prevent it from
3:07
collapsing and then there's Humpty
3:09
Dumpty often depicted as an
3:14
eggp Humpty Dumpty had a great fall all
3:19
the king's horses and All the King's Men
3:27
hump one Theory suggests hump Dumpty
3:30
represents Richard theii of England who
3:33
fell during the Battle of Bosworth
3:35
field ringer Ringo roses is believed to
3:38
be about the black death or the Great
3:48
London the lyrics pocket full of posies
3:51
and Ashes ashes refer to the practices
3:53
and symptoms associated with these
3:57
events even lullab can make this Grim
4:00
list wab by baby has theories ranging
4:03
from Native American Customs to the
4:05
story of James Francis Edward a child
4:08
allegedly smuggled into the Royal
4:17
rock when the bow breaks the cradle will
4:23
fall and down will come
4:32
lastly Mary Mary Quite Contrary is
4:35
thought to be about Mary the first of
4:37
England and her brutal rain with
4:39
references to torture instruments and
4:45
miscarriages While Nursery Rhymes bring
4:47
joy and learning to Children many of
4:49
them have surprisingly dark and complex
4:53
Origins understanding these stories can
4:56
give us a deeper appreciation of these
4:58
Timeless songs thank you for joining us
5:00
on this journey into the hidden meanings
5:05
rhymes keep singing and don't forget to
