This month I’ll show you an “educational” nursery rhyme, “A was an apple-pie.” It has been used to teach the alphabet to children for generations.
A was an apple-pie; B bit it, C cut it, D dealt it, E eat it, F fought for it, G got it, H had it, I inspected it, J jumped for it, K kept it, L longed for it, M mourned for it, N nodded at it, O opened it, P peeped in it, Q quartered it, R ran for it, S stole it, T took it, U upset it, V viewed it, W wanted it, X, Y, Z and ampersand All wished for a piece in hand.
(A was an apple pie rhyme)
This rhyme dates back to the 17th century. It was first mentioned in a religious text in 1671. However, it only covered the alphabet from A to G. After that, Tom Thumb’s Playbook (1747) covered all alphabet except for letters I and U. This was because the letters I and J, and of U and V, were treated as one and not differentiated at that old time. Later versions added I and U with the lines “I inspected it” and “U upset it.”
In the latter half of the 18th century, the rhyme was published in chapbooks with another title “The Tragical Death of A, APPLE PYE Who was Cut in Pieces and Eat by Twenty-Five Gentlemen with whom All Little People Ought to be Very Well Acquainted.” The apple pie rhyme became a popular educational tool.
In the 19th century, many variations in wording began to appear. The most popular one was Kate Greenaway’s “A Apple Pie” (1886).
こんにちは、RuiRuiです。 先日のCharles IIIの戴冠式にちなみ、 英国のkings and queensを覚えるための詩を紹介します。
Did you watch the coronation ceremony of King Charles III? I watched the full coverage of BBC which lasted as long as 7.5 hours!
While I was searching nursery rhymes related to kings and queens, I found this mnemonic in THE OXFORD NURSERY RHYME BOOK (by Iona and Peter Opie).
First William the Norman, Then William his son; Henry, Stephen, and Henry, Then Richard and John; Next Henry the third, Edwards, one, two, and three, And again after Richard Three Henrys we see.
Two Edwards, third Richard, If I rightly I guess; Two Henrys, sixth Edward, Queen Mary, Queen Bess, Then Jamie the Scotchman, Then Charles whom they slew, Yet received after Cromwell Another Charles too.
Next James the second Ascended the throne; Then good William and Mary Together came on. Till Anne, Georges four, And fourth William all past, Came the reign of Victoria, Which longest did last.
Then Edward the Peacemaker, He was her son, And the fifth of Georges Was next in the run; Edward the Eighth Gave the crown to his brother, Now God’s sent Elizabeth: All of us love her.
Too long! I can’t remember that.
There are many variations. Most of them are shorter, using nicknames like this:
Willy, Willy, Harry, Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three, One, Two, Three Neds, Richard Two, Harry Four, Five, Six, then who?
Edward Four, Five, Dick the Bad, Harrys Twain and Ned the Lad, Mary, Bessie, James the Vain, Charlie, Charlie, James again, William and Mary, Anna Gloria, Four Georges, William and Victoria.
Edward Seven, then George Five, But Edward Eight preferred his wife. George the Sixth did then arrive And Lizzie Two is still alive.
(Willy: William Stee: Stephen Harry: Henry Dick: Richard Ned: Edward Bessie, Lizzie: Elizabeth Anna: Anne Charlie: Charles)
And a different mnemonic is used to remember the sequence of royal houses.
“NO PLAN LIKE YOURS TO STUDY HISTORY WISELY”
The initial letter of each word gives the royal houses: Norman (NO) Plantagenet (PLAN) Lancaster (LIKE) York (YOURS) Tudor (TO) Stuart (STUDY) Hanover (HISTORY) Windsor (WISELY)