Friday, April 1, 2016

On the Wings of Mother Goose...



April kicks off rhyming children's book month, and we're participating in Angie Karcher's RhyPiBoMo writing challenge.

Not only is Margo a big fan of this idea, but as you know, sometimes I actually think in rhyme, so it's going to be fun.

My riddling beginnings started with the nursery rhymes of Mother Goose. The most intriguing part about this type of writing is that it can be about anything, and true insights are sprinkled amidst nonsense- like clues, hidden between the lines. I love these stories, even though they're a bit dark and you never know what to expect. It's like the real version of Grimm's Fairy Tales, some are shocking! But it's awesome to share these rhymes with my little sister, like how my mom read them with me, and her mom with her.

Here are some stories we think are thought provoking from the classic, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. 

Remember to read them in a sing- songy voice.
(out loud or in your head :)

Clue from the Begonia House








THE LION AND THE UNICORN
The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the crown,
The Lion beat the Unicorn all around the town.
Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown,
Some gave them plum-cake, and sent them out of town.

DAPPLE-GRAY
I had a little pony,
   His name was Dapple-Gray,
I lent him to a lady,
   To ride a mile away.
She whipped him, she slashed him,
   She rode him through the mire;
I would not lend my pony now
   For all the lady's hire.

(a little background to this nursery rhyme. I can remember being completely horrified when I first heard this story. It made such an impression on me, that I had a horse model I kept very safe for many years, and his name was Dapple- Gray- I think Margo sees Mr. Fazzy in the same way. The lady in the picture still sends chills down my spine- like Professor Umbridge!).


MYSELF
As I walked by myself,
And talked to myself,
    Myself said unto me:
"Look to thyself,
Take care of thyself,
    For nobody cares for thee."

I answered myself,
And said to myself
    In the selfsame repartee:
"Look to thyself,
Or not look to thyself,
    The selfsame thing will be."





BEES
A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay:
A swarm of bees in June
Is a worth a silver spoon;
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth fly.







 JUST LIKE ME
"I went up one pair of stairs."
    "Just like me."
"I went up two pairs of stairs."
    "Just like me."
"I went into a room."
    "Just like me.
"I looked out of a window."
    "Just like me."
"And there I saw a monkey."
    "Just like me."

(This is a good one to act out- my dad really gets a crowd going :)











And here's a puzzle for all of you Riddlers... 

What goes over the water,
And under the water, 
And always with its head down?

What am I? Answer revealed! A Ship's Nail

I gave you a clue!


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32 comments:

  1. I have never read the full collection, I only know the most popular ones. I had no idea. That one about the pony is certainly dark.

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    1. Heidi- It is definitely interesting to look at new nursery rhymes and revisit old favorites. :) ~F

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  2. I grew up with Mother Goose. And love her still.

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    1. EC- Her rhymes made quite an impression on me! :) ~F

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  3. Quite a few of the original tales of Mother Goose sound so abusive, don't they? I remember asking my mother why the old woman who lived in a shoe "whipped" all her children and sent them to bed. As for what goes over the water and under the water is it the moon?

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    1. Victoria- I think it is interesting that Mother Goose rhymes have been passed down for generations and many of them have dark undertones. Nowadays people tend to keep those kinds of themes out of writing for young children. The moon could work for the riddle too! :) ~F

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  4. You got me on that riddle, I will definitely be back to see what the answer is... as for Mother Goose... I grew up with so many of them... they will be around for many years to come xox

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    1. Launna- I agree that many of them will be around for years. Interesting to look at them and remember old favorites! :) ~F

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  5. The bow of a boat to answer your riddle? I loved reading nursery rhymes to the kids; rhyming can be so much fun :)

    betty

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    1. Betty- I love rhymes too! I think bow works for the riddle as well. :) ~F

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  6. Hi DMS - love the rhymes - and some can be quite disturbing allegorical. The Unicorn would have been so appropriate for my A-Z .. but next year I shall include it ...

    Your boat over the water - I've no idea ... just not sure .. I'll check in for the answer - cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary- I agree that some of the rhymes are quite disturbing. Darker than people think! Glad you may be able to use one of them for A-Z next year. :) ~F

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  7. So nice to sometimes read these. Fun and refreshing.

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  8. What fun! A few of those are new ones on me!

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    1. Meradeth- Glad to introduce you to some new ones! :) ~F

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  9. Those are cute and kids love rhyming books and nursery rhymes.

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  10. I love rhyming kids' stories. I have to say I'm more used to the sweet Seuss style than these, which were a bit puzzling. Despite your awesome clue, I have no idea about the riddle. I'm so pitiful... lol

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    1. Lexa- I love Dr. Seuss and his fun rhymes too! I basically enjoy reading any rhymes that are done well. :) ~F

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  11. I do love me rhymes! Although, they are hell to translate and for some reason every bestseller I have to translate for my publisher has them sometimes even five of them :) Imagine translating both the verses, the idea and the rhymes :)

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    1. Dezmond- I hadn't thought about that! That sounds like very challenging work. I am sure when you finish the translation it is a moment to be savored! :) ~F

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  12. I am going to second Betty's guess because I can't think of anything better.

    I'm currently working my way through Grimm's. It's quite a different experience reading such stories as an adult.

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    1. The Armchair Squid- Grimms is definitely not what a lot of people think that is for sure. I read them recently and they are very dark. Definitely not for all kids to read (as I think some might be too scared). Interesting that Disney made so many of them into movies with so many changes to their story lines. I bet reading them as an adult is interesting! :) ~F

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  13. Ohh, this post is so awesome :D Thank you for sharing sweetie. <3 Since I am Norwegian, I have not heard of any of these.. but loved reading them now :) Though, gosh, that horse was pretty brutal o.O

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    1. Carina- Glad to introduce you to them! The horse one is brutal, but I think it is to remind up not to treat animals badly and not to lend something to someone who doesn't treat it properly. :) ~F

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  14. I don't think in rhyme, so I guess that's yet another reason I could never write picture books. It's like being a really fun poet!

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    1. Stephanie- It is fun to think in rhyme, though sometimes I have to stop myself since the rest of the world doesn't think that way all the time. :) ~F

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  15. Sounds like a great rhyming book.

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  16. I always marvel when it comes to rhyming stories and poems - mostly because I know how hard it can be to do and make it sound natural, let alone make a story from it too! This was done brilliantly :)

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    1. Olivia- Savannah- I marvel at them too! It isn't easy to get the rhyming and cadence right! :) ~F

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