Nursery rhymes humpty dumpty sat on a wall
What are the origins of ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall’, and what do the lyrics mean?
30 July 2021, 09:40
What are the origins of ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall’, and what do the lyrics mean? Picture: AlamyBy Rosie Pentreath
@rosiepentreath
We explore the origins, history and lyrics of one of the most popular children’s songs in the English-speaking world.
Humpy Dumpty sat on the wall is one of the nation’s most enduringly popular nursery rhymes.
But who was Humpty Dumpty? What brought him to that wall? And how did he fall off?
We unpack the origins, history, lyrics and meaning of one of the most well-known children’s songs in the English-speaking world.
Read more: ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’ reworked in the style of Beethoven is a stroke of genius
What are the origins of ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall’?
In 1870, a chap called James William Elliott included ‘Humpty Dumpty’ when he collected together a load of English nursery rhymes and songs, set them to music, and published them in a volume called Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Songs Set to Music, with beautiful engravings by London engravers, The Brothers Dalziel.
Before that, the rhyme can be traced back to the 18th century, and variations in lyrics (see below) have been recorded over time. It’s not clear who originally conceived the four-line poem.
Who was Humpty Dumpty?
Humpty Dumpty is the protagonist of the English nursery rhyme, ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall’.
Perhaps due to his fragility revealed in the fall, he has often been portrayed as an egg – including by actor George L. Fox in his Broadway pantomime Humpty Dumpty, and by Lewis Caroll in his weird and wonderful Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Read more: There are lyrics to ‘Happy Birthday’ that you literally never knew about
What is the meaning behind the nursery rhyme?
There are other theories around the meaning of ‘Humpty Dumpty’. Some historians believe Humpty Dumpty was simply a device for a riddle around breakable things.
Others have suggested that Humpty Dumpty is King Richard III of England, who is supposed to have been humpbacked and who was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
We could assume Humpty Dumpty is the King, the wall is his reign and fight to preserve power, the fall is his defeat, and ‘All the king’s horses and all the king’s men’ the army that failed to prevail.
Another theory is that Humpty is actually a cannon. During the English Civil War, history says, a one-eyed gunner named Thompson managed to get a cannon – colloquially called ‘Humpty Dumpty’, to the top of the tower of St Mary at the Walls church and wreak untold destruction on the forces below, before return cannon fire dislodged the pair of them. Hence “had a great fall”.
Alice meets Humpty Dumpty. Picture: AlamyA professor David Daube once had a fourth theory to add. In 1956, he posited that ‘Humpty Dumpty’ might have been reference to an armoured siege engine that was deployed unsuccessfully in the 1643 Siege of Gloucester during the English Civil War.
This one was soon dismissed as a bit of a spoof by academics – but not before English composer Richard Rodney Bennett took the plot and ran with it for his children’s opera, All the King's Men.
Interestingly, Francis Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue from 1785 – we’re totally imagining this as the Urban Dictionary of its time – defines ‘Humpty Dumpty’ as “a short clumsy person of either sex; also ale boiled with brandy”, so the rhyme could have derived from either meaning.
Although – we have a bit of a chicken or the egg dilemma here: what came first? ‘Humpty Dumpty’ the Grose definition as chicken, or ‘Humpty Dumpty’ the egg? Take a look at the lyrics, and see what you think...
Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall – full lyrics
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Humpty Dumpty – oldest known lyrics (1797)
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Four-score Men and Four-score more,
Could not make Humpty Dumpty where he was before.
Humpty Dumpty Nursery Rhyme (Printabe, Video, and Lyrics)
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Remember your childhood days when you used to sing along to Humpty Dumpty? It's a classic rhyme loved by the entire nation! It has been passed down for generations and is still quite loved.
But where did this bizarre story of egg falling even come from? Why was he sitting on the wall? The origins of Humpty Dumpty will surprise you because the legends say that 'he' wasn't even an egg; he was a cannon!
Let us unpack everything there is to know about "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall!"
Humpty Dumpty Written Lyrics
Do you remember how Humpty Dumpty used to go? Here's how:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Humpty Dumpty Printable Lyrics
Wish to add this iconic nursery rhyme to your children's room? Download the Humpty Dumpty printable here.
Humpty Dumpty Photo Lyrics
Video Links
What's a better way to acquaint your children with Humpty Dumpty other than a video complete with attractive visuals and exciting background sound? Check out the Humpty Dumpty video below:
Origins and History
Now, let's get to the egg-citing part - the origins and history of "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall":
Origins of “Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall”
In 1870, James William Elliott compiled a bunch of nursery rhymes and songs into one book called Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Songs Set to Music.
One of the rhymes under it was Humpty Dumpty. He was always pictured as an egg with human-like features, eyes, nose, and mouth.
But there is a catch - if we go back long enough, we'll discover that Humpty dumpty isn't even an egg. It is a cannon!
The name "Humpty dumpty" refers to the Royalists' cannon used in the English Civil War. The cannon was placed atop a wall, but when the opposition forced entry, it fell down and broke into pieces.
Older Version (1797)
Here's what Humpty dumpty used to look like before in 1797:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Four-score Men and Four-score more,
Could not make Humpty Dumpty where he was before.
FAQs
What is the true meaning of Humpty Dumpty?
Before becoming the beloved egg we know today, Humpty Dumpty was used to refer to a cannon used in the English Civil War.
Who was Humpty Dumpty written by?
Mother Goose, an imaginary writer of French fairy tales and English nursery rhymes, is attributed with the authorship of Humpty Dumpty. The earliest publication of the rhyme in a book was Samuel Arnold's Juvenile Amusements in 1797.
What gender is Humpty Dumpty?
Humpty Dumpty is always referred to using 'he' and hence is male.
Where did the Humpty Dumpty story come from?
There are various speculations on where the story comes from. Some say it was a device used to refer to breakable things in a riddle. The other state that it is actually King Richard III of England, a ruler who was humpbacked and experienced defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
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link: Humpty Dumpty - A Chain of Intelligent Pendles - LiveJournal
Alice and Humpty Dumpty (illustrated by John Tenniel to the English original of the book)
Humpty Dumpty is a character in many classic English nursery rhymes, very well known in the English speaking world. Despite the fact that he does not have a clear image, he is usually represented in the form of an egg. The first mention of him in poetry dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Character Story:
- Possibly the poem "Humpty Dumpty" was dedicated to King Richard III, who actually fell off the wall during the battle of 1485.
- Initially, the poem about Humpty Dumpty was included in the Tales of Mother Goose. In modern English, the word "humpty dumpty" (humpty dumpty) has two meanings: "fatty-shorty" and "a thing that has fallen or broken and unrepairable."
- Historically, the Humpty Dumpty is believed to have been a large fortress weapon.
His story is connected with the events of the civil war in England (1642-1649).), which took place during the siege by Cromwell's supporters of the city of Colchester in the summer of 1648. The Royalists heavily fortified Colchester. A huge cannon, colloquially called "Humpty-Dumpty" ("Humpty Dumpty"), was mounted on a wall next to St. Mary's Church. During the siege, the parliamentarians managed to damage the wall below the Humpty Dumpty with a cannon shot, and the gun fell to the ground. The royalists tried to install "Humpty Dumpty" on another part of the wall. However, the cannon was so heavy that "all the king's men and all the king's horses were unable to lift it again." As a result, the royalist forces were severely undermined and the strategically important Colchester fell after an 11-week siege.
- Saying goodbye to Alice, Humpty Dumpty says that the next time they meet, he won't recognize her, because he can't distinguish her face from the faces of other people.
Thus, Lewis Carroll gives one of the first descriptions of prosopagnosia - a mental disorder, expressed in the inability to recognize faces. Informally, this disorder is sometimes referred to as "Humpty Dumpty Syndrome".
Translations:
Original (1871):
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty in his place again.”
Translated by T. Shchepkina-Kupernik (used in the translation by V. Ashkenazi, 1924)
Roly-Vstanka on the fence
sat very cheerfully.
Roly-Vstanka suddenly flew off the fence
straight onto his back.
Let the King of horses bring,
let the army call for the army -
No one will ever be able to
put Vanka-Vstanka there again.
Considered by the classic translation by S. Marshak:
Shaltai-Boltai sat on the wall
Shaltai-Boltai fell in a dream,
The entire royal cavalry, the entire royal rut 9000
9000 may not be shawl, no shalet, shawl.Can't Dumpty,
Humpty Dumpty,
Dumpty Humpty,
Humpty Dumpty collect!
Translated by A. Shcherbakov (1969):
Pustik-Dutik
Sat on the ledge.
Pustik-Dutik
Crashed down.
The king ordered all the infantry and cavalry to be sent to help,
But Pustik-Dutik would never be put in their place.
Translated by L.Yakhnin (1992):
Once upon a time there was a Yolk-Beltok,
From the table he jump-jump,
Kok! - Leaked Yolk-Beltok.
is outraged and inconsolable,
He who sent his troops -
Equipping equestrian, foot -
No, no yellow -protein,
Neither yolk and Beltka.
Ukrainian translation by G. Bushina (1960)
Khitun-Bovtun standing on the wall,
All the king's army came running,
Khitun-Bovtun could not be lifted up.
Ukrainian translation by V. Kornienko (2001)
Shalam-Balam on muri sidiv.
Shalam-Balam on the land of angry people.
All royal cinema and all the faces of the suite
Can't Shalam, can't Balama
Sources: 1. Wiki, English and Russian
2. http://shahin101.livejournal.com/260558.html
The world of S. Ya. Marshak's poetry. (for children 6 - 8 years old) | Outline of the lesson on the topic:
"Humpty Dumpty was sitting on the wall ..."
The world of S. Marshak's poetry (for children aged 6-8)
Goals:
- to introduce children to the work of S.Ya. Marshak;
- bring up responsibility, maintain interest in reading;
- develop memory, attention.
Materials:
- envelope-letter with tasks;
- portrait of a poet;
- "Humpty Dumpty" drawings;
- exhibition with books by S.Ya. Marshak.
Course of the lesson:
Who is knocking on my door
With a thick shoulder bag,
With the number "5" on a copper plate,
In a blue uniform cap?!
(This is him, this is our postman, of course)
The postman brought a letter to our library this morning. (Open the envelope.)
- The letters are here, friends, look ...
Don't be naughty, sort it out
And we will be able to read
From whom the message came to us.
Game "Make a word" (from 6 cards on which letters are written, children make up the word "Marshak")
Today in the lesson we will meet a wonderful poet.
S.Ya. Marshak was born in Voronezh on November 3, 1887, then he lived in St. Petersburg, Yalta. His father worked as a foreman in various factories, and they often moved.
Marshak began to compose poetry before he learned to write (at the age of 4). He liked to remember his childhood so much that he decided to stay in it and write for children. But in order to write well, one must study, and Marshak went to study in England, where he studied English and also became a translator. He translated into Russian
language set of English poems. Here, listen to one of the English songs:
Humpty - Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty - Dumpty fell down in a dream.
All the royal cavalry,
All the royal men
Can't Humpty, can't Dumpty,
Humpty - Dumpty, Dumpty - Humpty,
Humpty - Dumpty collect.
- You guys help, Humpty - Dumpty quickly collect.
(The class is divided into 3-4 groups. They collect a drawing of Humpty Dumpty. The drawing is hung under the portrait of the writer).
- And now, guys, I will read a few poems, and you try to finish them.
1. The lady checked in the luggage .
.. (sofa, suitcase, bag, picture, basket, cardboard and a small dog).
- What is the name of this work? ("Luggage")
-What happened to the lady's luggage, what was missing from her? (Little dog)
2. He sat on the bed in the morning,
began to put on a shirt,
put his hands in his sleeves -
Turned out to be… (trousers).
- And instead of a hat? (frying pan)
- Why couldn't he go anywhere? (He sat down in the uncoupled car).
- And what was the name of this funny man who forgot everything? (“Here's how distracted”)
3. A mouse -mother ran,
began to call a duck in the nanny:
- come to us, aunt duck,
Our baby ... (shake).
- And these words are from which fairy tale? ("The Tale of the Stupid Mouse").
- And who did the mother mouse call to babysit her stupid little mouse? (duck, toad, horse, pig, chicken, pike, cat).
- And who did the stupid little mouse choose to be his nanny? (cat)
- What happened to him as a result? (the cat ate it)
4.
What kind of house is this?
He is neither short nor tall.
Hey, open Petushka!
Ko-ko-ko, crow.
Who lives in a little house?
Someone who lives in ... (low lives).
- What is the name of this fairy tale? ("Teremok")
- - In an open field, a teremok, a teremok
It is not low, not high, not high.
Who, who lives in a little house?
Who lives in a low house? (a frog-frog, a cockerel-golden comb, a mouse -
, a norushka, a gray hedgehog - no head, no legs).
- And who wanted to open the gate and eat the inhabitants of the tower? (wolf, fox and bear)
5. Aunt, aunt cat!
Look out the window.
Kittens want to eat,
You live richly.
Keep us warm, cat,
Feed… (a little).
- What fairy tale is this from? ("Cat's House")
- What happened to the cat? (the house burned down)
- Who sheltered her? (kittens).
6. Who does not want to wash at all,
Runs away from the trough.
A in the corner behind chest
Washing paw with tongue?
Gray mustachioed... (Tabby kitten)
- What is the name of this poem? ("Mustachioed - Striped").
7. I don't want to study.
I will teach anyone myself.
I am a well-known master
Master - ... (loma master)
- Why was he called that? (this is a poem about a boy who wants to make something, but only breaks everything).
Work with an exhibition of books. Show the book "Children in a cage."
- How is she different from the rest? (many pictures written about animals).
It is interesting because Marshak was the first of the children's writers to create captions for drawings. (show and read a few). It is very difficult to describe a drawing in verse. But he did! Perhaps this is why children love his poems.
The game "Rhyme":
I'll start, and you finish, answer in unison:
- Where did you have dinner, sparrow?
- At the zoo with .
.. (animals)
I had lunch first
For bars of ... (lion)
reinforced at the Lisitsa,
from the walrus drunk ... (water)
ate carrots at the elephant,
with a crane attended ... (Pesna)
POFELASED AN … (a little)
A toothy crocodile
I almost… (swallowed!)
He has a wonderful alphabet for children in verses and pictures, and a book “Merry Account”. (read poems with several letters and numbers; preschoolers can write them).
And guys, Marshak used to compose riddles.
Only an agreement: listen to the riddle to the end, raise your hand and answer.
- They beat him with a hand and a stick, 2. He makes noise in the field and in the garden,
No one feels sorry for him. But he won't get into the house.
Why are they beating the poor fellow? And I'm not going anywhere,
And for the fact that he is inflated. As long as he goes.
(ball) (rain)
