Nursery rhyme

While at work today, it suddenly dawned upon me (think the work must be stressful) to find out when and why people start to rock baby to sleep. It seems to come naturally to me since day 1, but it is nevertheless a learned process that is imbued into our sensory and KIV in our brain until it is retrieved later when we have kids. Well, sadly, I didn't get to find anything useful from google to explain "the history of rocking baby to sleep" (other than the shocking discovery of the side effects of rocking a baby too much as revealed by experts in the medical field - not very helpful and encouraging for that matter). However, I did come across the word "rock" --- which led me to "Rock-a-bye baby" --- which led me to "nursery rhymes" and some facts about the songs we have been singing to our kids.

Before I go on, I have been playing nursery songs (sang by a bunch of local kids who try their darnest to sound British --- which is not bad --- given that I have another CD sang by British who sounds like Irish and no-one can understand what they are singing) non-stop in the car whenever the kids are in the car. But it never failed to strike me that nursery rhymes are morbid and downright violent. With "babies falling", "blind mices", "Humpty Dumpty breaking into pieces", "Jack breaking his crown (just because he wants to fetch water", "London burning" and "the tragic death of Clementine"... the list goes on.
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Anyway, back to the topics of nursery rhyme, here's what I can gather from the ever reliable Wiki:

Many cultures (though not all; see below) feature children's songs and verses that are passed down by oral tradition from one generation to the next (either from parent to child or from older children to younger children).

• "Ring a Ring O'Roses" - has reference to the Great Plague of London when the first symptoms of plague were ring-like sores. People didn't understand the illness and would place flowers in the pockets believing that illness came from bad smell, so having something sweet smelling would kill the disease. If only they have Air Wick (Lavender flavour) then, it would be easier.

• "Pop Goes the Weasel" - is not about weasels but actually about silk weavers working with their shuttle or bobbin (known as "weasel"). Another version says it refers to the need for the poor working class to have to take their coats (weasels and stoats) to pawnbrokers to obtain money for drinking. The "eagle" in the song may refer to a pub along Shepherdess Walk in London (I want to go and see!). Maybe that's why English pubs are thriving then with so many young urchins inculcated with the logic of selling clothes for a pint so early. So much for age limit on drinking. No wonder our kids are turning alcoholic early.

• "Jack and Jill" - lots of versions. Most interesting one alluded that Jack is LouisXVI of France who was deposed and beheaded (lost his crown) alongside his Queen Marie Antoinette (or Jill) who "came tumbling after".

• Humpty Dumpty - one of my son's favourite song is actually a cannon used in the Siege of Colchester during the English Civil War. It was mounted on top of a church defending the city against siege of 1648. But the church tower was hit and "Humpty" was sent tumbling to the ground. Well, the King's horses and men tried to "mend him" but in vain.

• Mary had a little lamb - probably the most literal and had the most element of truth in the lyrics. Cos' the nursery rhyme was inspired by an actual incident involving one Mary Sawyer (later Mrs Mary Tyle) who kept a pet lamb and took it to school one day at the suggestion of her brother. Some visiting nephew of Reverend was amused by the sight and wrote the poem and passed it to Mary.

• Mary Mary quite contrary - (what's with the obsession with the name Mary) actually alluded to Mary I of Scotland with "how does your garden grow" referring to her reign, "silver bells" referring to (Catholic) cathedral bells, "cockleshells" insinuating that her husband cheated on her, and "pretty maids all in a row" referring to her babies that died. (How spiteful leh).

• Rock-a-bye Baby - is an American nursery rhyme and lullaby, whose melody is a variant of the English satirical ballad Lilliburlero. Originally titled "Hushabye Baby", this nursery rhyme was said to be the first poem written on American soil. Although there is no evidence when the song was written, it may date from the 1600s. It is rumoured that it was written by a young pilgrim who sailed to America on the Mayflower. He was said to have observed the way Native American women rocked their babies in birch bark cradles, which were suspended from the high branches of trees, allowing the wind to rock the baby to sleep. However, the branches holding the cradles steady had a danger of breaking, causing the cradle to fall and the baby in it to get hurt. Rock-a-bye as a word was first recorded in 1805. The nursery rhyme indicates falling near the end due to a terrible infant accident in 1706 where the Earl of Sandwich's son was tossed without warning from his cradle. The cradle was later found in the Temps River empty and alone. (tragic)

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - combining a French tune with an English poem, Mozart apparently loved the song. However, the original lyrics from the French song was "seduction" cool. (That's why seduction and flirting comes naturally to some, while others are totally clueless - the latter probably slept to the tune of pop goes the weasel or the silly monkey jumping on the bed song that keeps ringing in my head).