Posted by billcollins | Posted in Nursery Rhymes | Posted on 01-06-2010
Tags: counting-out game, Hickory Dickory Dock, lyrics, telling the time
History
The nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory, Dock is thought to have originated in North West England. Shepherds in Westmoreland in the 1800s used the numbers ‘Hevera’, ‘Devera’, & ‘Dick’ (8, 9 & 10) to count – hence “Hickory, Dickory, Dock”.
The nursery rhyme is thought to have started as a counting-out rhyme. A counting-out rhyme or game is a short game used to pick someone to be “it” for another longer game (e.g. using rock, paper, scissors to pick someone to be up for tag). (Imagine one child pointing around a circle of children as each word is said; the child pointed to at the end of the rhyme is it.)
It’s believed the rhyme was adapted to help teach children to tell the time.
Hickory, Dickory Dock was first published in Thommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book in London around 1744. More than 265 years later, we now can get every nursery rhyme from across the world and over centuries of time with free music downloads. Times sure have changed.
Lyrics
Here are lyrics for Hickory, Dickory, Dock:
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
Very interesting! I love hearing about the origin of nursery rhymes and how long ago they were created. I hope future generations continue to use them and pass on the stories.