Hey Diddle Diddle: Our Best-loved Nursery Rhymes and What They Really Mean

by Sam Foster

The true meanings and often surprising origins of 40 best-loved traditional nursery rhymes Many of the catchy songs we grew up with were not nonsense verses for the playground but served as satirical commentaries on political events of the day, spreading subversive messages at a time when illiteracy was commonplace in society and direct criticism of the authorities was punishable by prison or death. Sing a Song of Sixpence, a Pocketful of Rye, Four and Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie—was this simply about a delicacy of the day, or was it a coded message used to recruit members for Blackbeard's pirate ships? Was Little Bo Peep simply about an inattentive shepherdess, or was it a tale of booze smuggling? This book offers a trip down memory lane and some fascinating food for thought for anyone interested in English history and language.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

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Reviews

[Nataliec7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I enjoyed it although some of the meanings behind some were very vague or there are multiple to choose from.
But nice to have an idea of the history of the nursery rhymes that I sing so very often!

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history.

[Kirsty McCracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. I always love to read about where nursery rhymes came from and the often dark origins of the stories. 4⭐️ for a clever and informative read that doesn't bog you down with info.

[Shirley Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book - one you can keep referring to. I have another nursery rhyme meanings book but this one is far superior. You really need to own it.