Hickory dickory dock i like to
Hickory, dickory, dock Nursery Rhyme
‘Hickory, dickory, dock‘ uses a few interesting literary devices and a memorable premise to make it easy to remember and recite. The lines rhyme perfectly, something that’s quite common to nursery rhymes. Since it was first published in 1744, there have been numerous variations of ‘Hickory, dikory, dock’ recorded. It has also inspired illustrations and children’s books.
Explore Hickory, dickory, dock
- 1 Read Hickory, dickory, dock,
- 2 Summary
- 3 Structure and Form
- 4 Literary Devices
- 5 Detailed Analysis
- 6 FAQs
- 7 Similar Poems
Read Hickory, dickory, dock,
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
Summary
‘Hickory, dickory, dock’ is a short nursery rhyme about a mouse who runs up a clock. It uses interesting nonsense language.
The first and last lines of this poem are the same. This is an example of a refrain, one that allows the reader to start the poem over from the beginning if they want to. The lines in between describe a mouse running up the clock and down again once it strikes one. Like most nursery rhymes, there are a couple of variations. But, they all follow this same premise. There are very few details in the song, allowing readers to make up whatever story they want to go along with it.
Structure and Form
‘Hickory, dickory, dock’ is a short, five-line nursery rhyme that is contained within a single stanza of text. There are several iterations of this rhyme, but the most common is used below. In this particular version, the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, as do the third and fourth. This is a common feature in nursery rhymes. More rhymes usually make the poem more interesting to readers, especially the young readers. Or for those who are hearing the lines read out loud.
Rhymes also make these poems easier to remember and can help solidify them within the history of this kind of song/poem.
Literary Devices
Throughout ‘Hickory, dickory, dock,’ readers can find several examples of literary devices, despite their brevity. These include but are not limited to:
- Repetition: can be seen when the poet repeats the same words, phrases, images, ideas, or structures. For example, the use of “clock” more than once as well as the use of a refrain.
- Alliteration: occurs when the writer repeats the same consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words. For example, “dickory” and “dock” or “down” and “dock.”
- Refrain: occurs when the poet repeats the same phrase more than once. This occurs only when the entire phrase is repeated exactly. For example, the title of the rhyme “Hickory, dickory, dock” appears at the beginning and the end of this short rhyme. It can, in instances like this, create a circular verse, allowing the singer or reader to start over from the beginning again.
Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-2
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock;
In the first two lines of ‘Hickory, dickory, dock,’ the speaker begins by using the line that was later used as the title. This is often the case with nursery rhymes and some of the best-known, older rhymes in existence today. The line is a great example of internal rhyme, seen through the use of the same consonant sounds.
The first line is also a good example of how nonsense language is used in poetry and children’s songs. The words “hickory and dickory” don’t make sense together, but they sound interesting and may, for some readers, mimic the sound of the mouse climbing the clock. Plus, it allows the word “clock” to connect back to the first line, again through similar consonant sounds.
The reader is immediately thrust into the action with this nursery rhyme, an example of in medias res. It’s unclear why the mouse is running up the clock or even whether the mouse is inside or outside the structure.
Very few details are provided, but that doesn’t hurt the impact of the song at all.
Lines 3-5
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
In the next line, the clock strikes “one.” This means that the bell is going to toll inside the clock. This is perhaps what scares the mouse, sending him back down again. Or, an alternative interpretation is that the mouse went up the clock for the purpose of hearing the clock or even triggering it to strike at one o’clock.
Either way, once the clock strikes, the mouse runs back down again. It’s after this that the refrain is repeated. A reader might add on another repetition of the same lines. It’s also not unusual to find repeated lines within nursery rhymes. It’s something that makes them easy to remember and even easier to read for children.
FAQs
What is the tone of ‘Hickory, dickory, dock?’
The tone is upbeat.
The speaker is describing simple events and creating a curious and excited mood for the reader. Since the rhyme is so short, there are few details to create a complex tone, mood, or atmosphere.
What is the purpose of ‘Hickory, dickory, dock?’
Today, the main purpose of this rhyme is to entertain. It should keep a child’s attention and perhaps inspire them to sing along. Its original purpose may be entirely lost to time.
How is nonsense language used in ‘Hickory, dickory, dock?’
The phrase “Hickory, dickory, dock” is itself an example of nonsense language. It doesn’t mean anything. The words are made up and only used because they sound interesting together.
What is the real meaning of ‘Hickory, dickory, dock?’
Usually, the rhyme is cited as a “counting out” song. This refers to a way of counting people until one is selected.
For example, “eeny, meeny, miny, moe.” For others, it dates back to certain slang words in the English countryside or even refers explicitly to a clock in Exeter Cathedral.
How old is ‘Hickory, dickory, dock?’
The rhyme dates back to the 18th century. It was first recorded, along with many other well-known rhymes in Tommy Thumb, in his Pretty Song Book collection in 1744. There are a few other versions of the song, including one published in 1765 under the name ‘Dickery Dock.
Similar Poems
Readers who enjoyed ‘Hickory, dickory, dock’ should also consider reading some related nursery rhymes. For example.
- ‘There was a crooked man’ – is a short, upbeat poem that uses repetition to speak on a series of “crooked” sights.
- ‘There was an old lady who swallowed a fly’ – is a funny children’s rhyme. It describes an old lady who swallows everything from a fly to a cat to a horse.
- ‘Solomon Grundy’ – is an entertaining nursery rhyme that was used to teach children the days of the week.
- ‘Sing a song of sixpence’ – describes a pie baked with 24 blackbirds and set “before the king.”
- ‘Row, row, row your boat’ – a well-loved nursery rhyme that uses a great deal of repetition to describe rowing a boat.
Learning Video: Hickory Dickory Dock, Song
- Videos
- Hickory Dickory Dock | Song
Hickory Dickory Dock is a freshly modified video version of the traditional rhyme for kids aged 4 and under. It mimics the sounds of a grandfather's clock ticking and chiming on the wall. Originally the words ‘hickory’, ‘dickory’ and ‘dock’ meant ‘eight’, ‘nine’ and ‘ten’ in the Celtic language. These days this is number one rhyme for introducing the basics for time telling. Kids listen, repeat and sing to the rhyme to learn to tell the times.
Lyrics: Hickory dickory dock, The mouse went up the clock. The clock struck one, The mouse went down, Hickory dickory dock. Hickory dickory dock, The bear went up the clock. The clock struck two, The bear ran down, Hickory dickory dock. Hickory dickory dock, The parrot went up the clock. The clock struck three, The parrot went down, Hickory dickory dock. Hickory dickory dock, The monkey went up the clock. The clock struck four, The monkey went down, Hickory dickory dock. Hickory dickory dock, The pig went up the clock. The clock struck five, The pig went down, Hickory dickory dock. Hickory dickory dock, The elephant went up the clock. The clock struck six, The elephant went down, Hickory dickory dock. The video is an ideal resource to introduce and learn the names of animals for toddlers. They will learn the animals in no time! Not only the rhyming song is a hundred percent fun and crowd pleaser, but also a perfect time saver.
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Hickory Dickory Dock Read Online Hickory Dickory Dock by Christy AgathaAgatha Christie
Hickory, Dickory, DOC.
..
Chapter 1
Hercule Poirot frowned.
- Miss Lemon!
Yes, Monsieur Poirot?
- There are three typos in this letter.
He didn't seem to believe his eyes: Miss Lemon, a first-class secretary, never made a typo. She never got sick, never got tired, never got distracted or upset. In practice, it was not a woman at all, but a well-oiled mechanism, an ideal secretary. Miss Lemon knew everything in the world and could do everything. Just as perfectly, she managed to establish the life of Hercule Poirot, who long ago chose the words "Order and Method" as his motto. Thanks to the ideal servant George and the ideal secretary Miss Lemon, order and method ruled Poirot's life inseparably. Everything went like clockwork, and there was nothing to complain about. nine0003
And yet, this morning, Miss Lemon made three typos in a very ordinary letter, and what's more, she didn't notice them! It was like a bolt from the blue.
Hercule Poirot handed her the ill-fated letter.
He was so amazed that he couldn't even get angry. Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable - but true!
Miss Lemon took the paper and ran her eyes over it. For the first time in her life, Poirot saw her blush: an ugly, purplish blush filled her face to the roots of coarse gray hair. nine0003
— My God! - she exclaimed. - I don’t understand how I ... However, I understand; it's because of my sister.
News after news. It never occurred to Poirot that Miss Lemon might have a sister. As well as father, mother, as well as grandfather and grandmother. Miss Lemon gave the impression of an automaton that had come off the assembly line so much that the very thought of her possible affections, worries and family worries seemed ridiculous. People around knew that in her spare time, Miss Lemon was developing a new filing system; she was going to patent this invention and thus perpetuate her name. nine0003
- Your sister? asked Hercule Poirot incredulously.
"Yes," Miss Lemon nodded vigorously.
“I don't think I ever told you about her. She has lived in Singapore most of her life. Her husband was in the rubber trade...
Hercule Poirot nodded in response. It seemed only natural to him that Miss Lemon's sister should have spent most of her life in Singapore. This is the right place for her. The sisters of women like Miss Lemon are supposed to marry Singaporean businessmen in order to enable all Miss Lemon to turn into robots that regularly serve the owner (and, in their spare time, invent filing systems). nine0003
"Understood," said Poirot. - Continue.
And Miss Lemon continued:
- She was widowed four years ago. She has no children. So I looked after a cozy little apartment for her, for a very reasonable fee ...
Miss Lemon, of course, was up to even this, almost insoluble, task.
- My sister is well off... it's true that the money has depreciated now, but her demands are small, and if she manages her household wisely, she may well live comfortably.
nine0003
After a pause, Miss Lemon went on talking:
— But loneliness weighed on her. She had never been to England before: she had no friends or acquaintances here, and there was nothing special to do. Anyway, about six months ago, she told me she was thinking about a job.
- About work?
- Well, yes, she was offered a job as a housekeeper in a student dormitory. Its owner, who seems to be half Greek, wanted to hire a woman to run the household and manage the affairs. The hostel is located in an old apartment building on Hickory Road. You probably know. nine0003
Poirot did not know.
- Once it was a very fashionable area, and the houses there are excellent. They created excellent conditions for my sister: a bedroom, a living room and even a separate kitchenette.
Miss Lemon fell silent again.
"Well, well," Poirot pretended to be interested. However, while he did not see anything out of the ordinary in her story.
— At first I had doubts, but my sister finally convinced me.
She is not used to sitting idly by, she is a very practical and economic woman. And then, she was not going to invest her capital there. Employment; True, she was not promised much money, but she did not need it, and the work seemed easy. My sister has always been drawn to young people, and having lived in the East for so many years, she also understands national psychology and knows how to find an approach to foreigners. After all, students from various countries live in the hostel; most, of course, are English, but there are even blacks! nine0003
- Understood! said Hercule Poirot.
“A good half of the nurses in hospitals are black now,” said Miss Lemon thoughtfully, and added hesitantly:
- They seem to be much nicer and more attentive than the English women. But I digress. We discussed this venture, and the sister finally decided. We didn't even think about the owner. And Mrs. Nicoletis is an unbalanced woman. Sometimes she is charming, and sometimes, I beg your pardon, quite the contrary.
A miser, and, moreover, mismanaged. However, if she were able to manage her own affairs, she would not need a housekeeper. My sister does not endure whims and does not tolerate when evil is torn off on her. She is a very reserved person. nine0003
Poirot nodded: he easily imagined a second Miss Lemon, softened a little by her marriage and the Singapore climate, but her rational nature had not changed.
— So your sister got this job? - he asked.
- Yes, she moved to Hickory Road about six months ago. In general, she likes the work, it is interesting for her there.
Hercule Poirot listened attentively, but the story still seemed painfully boring. nine0003
— However, lately she has become worried. And very strongly.
- Why?
- You see, Monsieur Poirot, she doesn't like what's going on there.
- Is the hostel male or mixed? said Poirot delicately.
- Oh, what are you, Monsieur Poirot! I didn't mean it at all. She was ready for difficulties of this kind, this is natural.
But, you see, things began to disappear there.
- Disappear?
- Yes. And everything is so strange ... And everything is so .., unnatural ...
- Do you mean to say that they are being stolen?
- Well, yes.
- Did you call the police?
- No. Not yet. My sister hopes it doesn't come to that. She loves her guys so much... at least some of them... and she would like to settle everything quietly, so to speak, in a family way.
"Well," said Poirot after a moment's hesitation, "I agree with her. But I don't understand why you are nervous? Because of your sister, right?
I don't like this, Monsieur Poirot. Don't like it at all. I don't understand what's going on there. I can not find any reasonable explanation for this, and yet everything must have its own logic. nine0003
Poirot nodded thoughtfully.
Miss Lemon has always lacked imagination. When it came to facts, she had no equal. But when it came to speculation, she gave in.
- Maybe this is the most common theft? Suddenly one of the students suffers from kleptomania?
- I doubt it. I read an article about kleptomania in the Encyclopædia Britannica and in a medical book,” Miss Lemon answered with all responsibility, “I don’t think it looks like it. nine0003
Hercule Poirot was silent. Is it worth bothering with the problems of Miss Lemon's sister and delving into the passions that have flared up in a multinational hostel. But, really, Miss Lemon, making typos, is a great inconvenience. Therefore, he told himself that if he began to delve into this story, it would be only for the sake of his own peace of mind. He just didn't want to admit that lately he had been somehow bored and, moreover, he was intrigued by the seeming triviality of this case.
- "Like a parsley leaf that drowns in butter on a hot day," he muttered to himself. nine0003
- Parsley? In oil? Miss Lemon was confused.
"I am quoting one of your classics," explained Poirot.
“You are no doubt familiar with The Adventures, not to mention The Labors of Sherlock Holmes.
"Ah, so you're talking about Baker Street visitors," Miss Lemon chuckled. “Adult people, but so naive. And the book is all childish. Kids toys. Personally, I did not even read all these stories, there was no time. If I have a rare minute, I'd rather read something to improve my skills. nine0003
"Do you mind, Miss Lemon," asked Hercule Poirot bowing ceremoniously, "if we invite your sister here tomorrow... for, say, a cup of tea?" Is there anything I can do to help her?
Agatha Christie
Hickory, Dickory, DOC... . nine0003
Miss Lemon!
Yes, Monsieur Poirot?
— There are three typos in this letter.
He didn't seem to believe his eyes: Miss Lemon, a first-class secretary, never made a typo. She never got sick, never got tired, never got distracted or upset. In practice, it was not a woman at all, but a well-oiled mechanism, an ideal secretary.
Miss Lemon knew everything in the world and could do everything. Just as perfectly, she managed to establish the life of Hercule Poirot, who long ago chose the words "Order and Method" as his motto. Thanks to the ideal servant George and the ideal secretary Miss Lemon, order and method ruled Poirot's life inseparably. Everything went like clockwork, and there was nothing to complain about. nine0003
And yet, this morning, Miss Lemon made three typos in a very ordinary letter, and what's more, she didn't notice them! It was like a bolt from the blue.
Hercule Poirot handed her the ill-fated letter. He was so amazed that he couldn't even get angry. Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable - but true!
Miss Lemon took the paper and ran her eyes over it. For the first time in her life, Poirot saw her blush: an ugly, purplish blush filled her face to the roots of coarse gray hair. nine0003
- My God! - she exclaimed. - I don’t understand how I ... However, I understand; it's because of my sister.
News after news. It never occurred to Poirot that Miss Lemon might have a sister. As well as father, mother, as well as grandfather and grandmother. Miss Lemon gave the impression of an automaton that had come off the assembly line so much that the very thought of her possible affections, worries and family worries seemed ridiculous. People around knew that in her spare time, Miss Lemon was developing a new filing system; she was going to patent this invention and thus perpetuate her name. nine0003
- Your sister? asked Hercule Poirot incredulously.
"Yes," Miss Lemon nodded vigorously. “I don't think I ever told you about her. She has lived in Singapore most of her life. Her husband was a rubber merchant...
Hercule Poirot nodded in response. It seemed only natural to him that Miss Lemon's sister should have spent most of her life in Singapore. This is the right place for her. The sisters of women like Miss Lemon are supposed to marry Singaporean businessmen in order to enable all Miss Lemon to turn into robots that regularly serve the owner (and, in their spare time, invent filing systems).
nine0003
"Understood," said Poirot. - Continue.
And Miss Lemon continued:
- She was widowed four years ago. She has no children. So I looked after a cozy little apartment for her, for quite a moderate fee...
Miss Lemon, naturally, even this almost insoluble task was up to the task.
- My sister is well off... it's true that the money has depreciated now, but her demands are small, and if she manages her household wisely, she may well live comfortably. nine0003
After a pause, Miss Lemon went on talking:
— But she was bothered by loneliness. She had never been to England before: she had no friends or acquaintances here, and there was nothing special to do. Anyway, about six months ago, she told me she was thinking about a job.
— About work?
- Well, yes, she was offered a job as a housekeeper in a student dormitory. Its owner, who seems to be half Greek, wanted to hire a woman to run the household and manage the affairs.
The hostel is located in an old apartment building on Hickory Road. You probably know. nine0003
Poirot did not know.
- Once upon a time it was a very fashionable area, and the houses there are excellent. They created excellent conditions for my sister: a bedroom, a living room and even a separate kitchenette.
Miss Lemon fell silent again.
"Well, well," Poirot pretended to be interested. However, while he did not see anything out of the ordinary in her story.
— At first I was hesitant, but my sister finally convinced me. She is not used to sitting idly by, she is a very practical and economic woman. And then, she was not going to invest her capital there. Employment; True, she was not promised much money, but she did not need it, and the work seemed easy. My sister has always been drawn to young people, and having lived in the East for so many years, she also understands national psychology and knows how to find an approach to foreigners. After all, students from various countries live in the hostel; most, of course, are English, but there are even blacks! nine0003
- Got it! said Hercule Poirot.
“A good half of the nannies in hospitals now seem to be black women,” Miss Lemon said thoughtfully and added uncertainly:
“They seem to be much nicer and more attentive than English women. But I digress. We discussed this venture, and the sister finally decided. We didn't even think about the owner. And Mrs. Nicoletis is an unbalanced woman. Sometimes she is charming, and sometimes, I beg your pardon, quite the contrary. A miser, and, moreover, mismanaged. However, if she were able to manage her own affairs, she would not need a housekeeper. My sister does not endure whims and does not tolerate when evil is torn off on her. She is a very reserved person. nine0003
Poirot nodded: he easily imagined a second Miss Lemon, softened a little by her marriage and the Singaporean climate, but her rational nature had not changed.
— So your sister got this job? - he asked.
— Yes, she moved to Hickory Road about six months ago. In general, she likes the work, it is interesting for her there.
Hercule Poirot listened attentively, but the story still seemed painfully boring.
— However, lately she has become worried. And very strongly. nine0003
— Why?
- You see, Monsieur Poirot, she doesn't like what's going on there.
— Is the hostel male or mixed? said Poirot delicately.
- Oh, what are you, Monsieur Poirot! I didn't mean it at all. She was ready for difficulties of this kind, this is natural. But, you see, things began to disappear there.
Disappear?
- Yes. And everything is so strange... And everything is so..., unnatural...
— You mean that they are being stolen?
- Well, yes. nine0003
— Did you call the police?
— No. Not yet. My sister hopes it doesn't come to that. She loves her guys so much... at least some of them... and she would like to settle everything quietly, so to speak, in a family way.
"Well," said Poirot after a moment's hesitation, "I agree with her. But I don't understand why you are nervous? Because of your sister, right?
- I don't like this, Monsieur Poirot.
