The nursery rhyme study was unable to "evaluate the severity of the episodes of violence", the authors say. "For instance, 'Here comes the chopper to chop off your head' (Oranges and Lemons), or a ...

Historian Robert Lacey’s new book Nursery Rhymes with Pictures—in which he showcases 82 nursery rhymes originally illustrated by Claud Lovat Fraser in the early 20th century—is a significant departure ...

Ring a Ring o Rosie isn't about the plague, Mary Mary Quite Contrary isn't about Queen Mary and Humpty Dumpty wasn't a cannon used during the English Civil War. Loading... Despite the proliferation of ...

We all have countless childhood songs ingrained in our minds, but have you ever wondered where these nursery rhymes began and what exactly they mean? The answer is probably no since most of us have ...

We grow up with these songs – these lyrical and melodic earworms, that continue to be passed down the generations. Here are 10 of the all-time best nursery rhymes. We may not immediately think of them ...

Goosey Goosey Gander may be about religious persecution, while Lucy Locket is about 18th Century prostitutes, writes Clemency Burton-Hill. Plague, medieval taxes, religious persecution, prostitution: ...