There are fascinating origins behind most nursery rhymes.

For example, some believe Rockabye Baby in the Treetops, dated to 1765, concerns the newborn son of King James II of England and Mary of Modena, Italy, who many believed was not their son but a child brought in and presented as theirs to insure a Catholic heir to the throne.

Goosey, Goosey Gander, dates to 1784 and involves religious persecution in the days when Catholic priests hid to say Latin prayers prohibited even in the privacy of home. In the original version, the narrator discovers an old man “who wouldn’t say his prayers. So I took him by his left leg. And threw him down the stairs.”

Three Blind Mice (1805) is thought to speak of “Bloody Mary” with the three mice representing three Protestant bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Radley, and The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer who conspired to overthrow her rule and were burned at the stake for heresy. Their blindness describes the religious beliefs banned in her kingdom.

There are many more but lets return to modern times. The Bible instructs us to pray for our leaders and trust God to promote or remove them, but we often make comments about various leaders shown on national currencies, or the faces of presidents that should or should not be carved on America’s Mt. Rushmore.

I wonder what  nursery rhymes will arise from our times. I would not want to wear the shoes or bear the responsibilities of elected officials, but without being cruel or criminal, is there a catchy phrase you’ve heard or thought of concerning a current world leader or event? Also feel welcome to share an honoring phrase that fits real people and times.

In fact, I think I’ll spend the rest of today trying to coine up with one and share it next time. I hope you’ll join me.

Some credit to The Dark Origins of 11 Classic Nursery Rhymes, Jennifer M. Wood, http://mentalfloss.com/article/55035/dark-origins-11-classic-nursery-rhymes