Sing a Song of Sixpence

[Naillosotarrain]

Did you know that the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" was originally used as a coded message that allowed pirates to recruit new members for their ships?

Sing a song of sixpence
A pocket full of rye
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie

When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing
Was that not a tasty dish
To set before a king?

The King was in his counting house
Counting out his money
The Queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey

The Maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes
When down came a blackbird
And snapped off her nose!

For more information as well as a detailed breakdown on this subject please go to http://www.snopes.com/lost/sixpence.htm

[Danustouch]

Wow..that was cool! I knew that ring around the rosie was about the plague. I'd like to know what all the others are about, now, too.

On a related note, it seems like music has always been a wonderful carrier of coded messages. For instance, Black Spirituals of the south in the Civil war era, were often coded messages for escape routes, meetings, and worship times. Blacks were not allowed to hold organized church meetings, on plantations. So the spiritual songs they wrote, often were calls to gather at a specific time, in a specific place, to worship. If I can find a link, I'll post it :)

[Yvonne Belisle]

London Bridge was based on the fire they had. Drat I had another in my head and it just ran off I will remember after I fall asleep I know it I will dream the answer and remember just as I am waking and when I get to the comp it will be gone!

[Twilight Garden]

I'm confused. It sounds like it's saying everything in that "lost" section is false. So what gives?
False Authority (http://www.snopes2.com/lost/false.htm)

[Danustouch]

Hmmm..interesting. Yes..from the link you provided Lunarmist, it does seem as if Snopes counted this in their lost legends, not as a historical document, but as an excercise in creative writing:) Ahh well..this isn't the type of rumor that will go throwing major wrenches in life....if it is a hoax:)

It was a great read though, eh?

[Yvonne Belisle]

The link Naillosotarrain posted is snopes and they said right there that it is a true one. I think it is weird that they would say true in one place and false in another.

[Yvonne Belisle]

Rather bratty of them to do that don't you think??? Creative though and they make a good point.

[Twilight Garden]

If you want to know about the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, I have a book that might intrest you. The Annotated Mother Goose, written by: William S. Barring-Gould and Ceil Baring-Gould. My mother got it in 1962. It is full of historical information on countless nursery rhymes. Including sections on "Young Father Goose", "Mother Goose's Almanack", "Mother Goose's Charms, Auguries, and Nature Lore", and many other chapters (even some rather naughty original versions that were later changed to suit youngsters.) ;)

It says there are no certainties as to what this particular rhyme is about. It does mention some pretty cool interpretations, though... The 24 blackbirds being the 24 hours in a day, the king is the sun, and the queen is the moon... others say the king is Henry the VIII, Katherine, 24 deeds of the manor... still others said that this song celebrates the first printing of the English Bible. That's just a small bit of info given on that rhyme in my book.

[Danustouch]

Yvonne..I agree. Usually, snopes is so careful. LOL...this time, they really confused us though. LOL. Was really bratty of em!

Lunarmist..that sounds like an AWESOME book. I'd love to get my hands on a copy of that:)

[Twilight Garden]

Originally posted by Danustouch
Yvonne..I agree. Usually, snopes is so careful. LOL...this time, they really confused us though. LOL. Was really bratty of em!I agree. They are usually pretty reliable.
Originally posted by Danustouch
Lunarmist..that sounds like an AWESOME book. I'd love to get my hands on a copy of that:) Library of Congress # is 62-21606. Don't know if that helps any. Since it was aquired 1962, I'm honestly not sure how to help. Sorry. :( I asked my mom a while back, she said her mother actually bought it. (I'm hoping to be "with child" soon and wanted a newer copy.) She told me to be happy with the older copy. I'm sure there must be some form of it floating around.

[Naillosotarrain]

I hate to shatter some people hopes, but unfortunately that book is out of print. On the bright sde however I did manage to find a limited amount of them; if your're willing to pay the price.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0517546299/qid=1014470377/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-4248865-8724002

[Naillosotarrain]

My suggestion would be to check out the zshops results first, you might find a better deal. Oh, and the book was originally published in 1962. So you may want to hang on to that copy you have LunarMist, it's worth a pretty penny if you know what I mean.

[Danustouch]

*GULP* little too steep for me.....

sheesh. I think i'll look for it on the states inter library exchange program.....lol.

[Twilight Garden]

Sheesh! I had no idea! No wonder my mom said to be happy with the older copy! :eek: