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Humpty Dumpty
In 1483 Richard the Third's brother (the King) died. Richard put him self on the throne. His brother's two sons also died at the same time. Many believed that Richard poisoned them.
Richard III was a hunchback. In his youth was not too bad although very noticeable. As he grew older his "hump" enlarged and his spine was not only bent in the traditional "S" shape, it also "canted" to the left. He walked in later life a little "crab" like. Often he would stumble and "dump" himself on the ground.
He was very evil and was not liked by his subjects. They secretly made fun of him in Pubs and on the streets. After just three years of his rule--there was a revolt in England. King Richard III gathered his Army and attacked the Rebels. He was in full armor ard riding a "Walleyed" horse--he called the horse Wall.
His horse was hit by a spear and Richard was thrown to the ground when his horse, Wall, died. He stood and shouted, "My kingdom for a horse." In a few minutes King Richard was also killed.
So from Hump and Dump and Wall the horse we get:
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall All the king's horses, and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty-Dumpty together again!
That was in 1485---he didn't last long did he? Most nursery rhymes are based on fact not fiction.
Fred
More on Humpty Dumpty
They called a doctor from the town
to come and fix poor Humpty's crown.
He put a stitch in Humpty's leg
and bandaged up poor Humpty's egg.
He used some tape and then some glue,
and Humpty's now good as new.
Modern addition to make little children feel better. A lot of little kids thought Humpty Dumpty was dead. (Of course King Richard really did die of his wounds, but I suppose little children don't need to know that).
The King of France/Went up the Hill
The King of France went up the hill With 20,000 men, The King of France came down the hill, And ne'er went up again!
This was King Henry IV who mustered 40,000 men in 1610. Nothing happened as he was assassinated.
When I was a boy, WWII had not started yet. The "War to End All Wars" was still the talk. My Uncle John Bright had been in France and my Grandfather Owen had been a Waggoner in France. They were both Gassed by the Germans--neither one of them ever felt good for the rest of their lives. They both lived a long time tho. (Come to think about it the war had only been over 12 years when I was born).
I used to play with Uncle John's gas mask--the natural rubber was pretty rotten. The eisen glass was cracked in the goggle part--it was "fun" tho.
I used to wrap the "leggins" around my legs--they wrapped around about three times. Great fun for a kid--and when I was old enuff--I joined the Air Force--Oh Well!
I used to have the helmet--don't know where it got off too. Moved one time to many I suppose.
The Poem above went like this in those days before 1941:
"Kaiser Bill went up the hill to take a look at France, He came back down the hill with bullets in his pants."
This is also a take off of "Jack and Jill". " Iambic pentameter, I think?"
Rocksoup
I have been digging into the Fables--have not found anything I like--kind of dry. The writers seem to be going into the German style of writing rather than the meanings.
Here is one I remember as a boy--I'll do it in late 20th Century style--
ROCK SOUP
This Homeless fellow was wandering along a country road and he came upon an inviting looking cottage. He walked up the narrow path to the front door and knocked.
A nice little old lady answered his knock and asked what she could do for him. He explained that he was homeless and very hungry.
The little lady replied that she was very poor and could barely make ends meet. The homeless man asked her if she had a few vegetables for a soup. She said yes but only enough for one.
He said that he had a recipe for Stone Soup that would double the amount and that they would share half and half. She agreed as she had never heard of stone soup.
The man pulled a quite large and smooth stone from his pocket and he and she proceeded to chop up the vegetables. He put in salt and seasoning and placed the pot on the old wood stove (excuse me-electric stove) and then dropped in his big smooth stone.
Sure enough the pot was almost to the top of the rim. Soon it was boiling and the man turned it down to a simmer. After a bit he declared that it was done.
The little lady set the table with two soup bowls, a spoon for each, and she cut the remaining slice of bread in half.
The man poured the soup out into equal amounts and proceeded to wash the smooth rock. When finished they sat down at the table and the little lady said Grace.
When supper was finished the man helped the lady clear up the table and placed the dishes, the spoons, and the pot into the dishwasher.
He thanked her for her hospitality and she thanked him for the new recipe for stone soup.
As he turned to step down from the front porch he handed her the stone.
"Here", he said. "When another homeless person knocks at your door, he may not know how to make stone soup."
The End
I must have been about 9 when my grandmother read this one to me. (That would make it 1940).