Nursery Rhymes- any rhyme or reason to 'em?

[Northern Lass]

Where do they come from?
What are they for?

It has always fascinated me are they just semantic nonsense or do they have a deeper social function?

I think that they are steeped in the folklore of our culture.
I believe that they embrace the old superstitions and rituals of a bygone age.
Relics of our beliefs in Spirits, ghosts and goblins.
A way of control via a childs mantra.

"There I met an old man who wouldnt say his prayers
I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs"

"apologise apologise or the eagles will pull out his eyes"

Childrens rhymes or ditties so often end in disaster, cruelty or bloodshed.
Or they echo the personification of nature but with that ancient fear of spirits, animals and elements.

"Rowley Rowley thunder noise
take the girls and leave the boys"

What do you think?

[Nemo]

"Bobby Shaftos gone to sea with silver buckles on his knee, when he comes back he'll marry me bonny Bobby Shafto"

This gadabout with an eye for the ladies was a Durham MP B1732 and married one of my relatives; he squandered much of the money which "came with" his bride. He went to sea - frequently with many a lady awaiting his return - Lots about him by just googling.

[Nemo]

Jack & Jill went up the Hill - origins are reckoned to be Louis14th and Marie Antoinette, and begorra, she also has a link to my tree....................but dont we all join up sooner or later

[Northern Lass]

And what about that one "Ring a ring a roses" ....did it make reference to the Great Plague?

One of the first signs of the plague was a ring of rose-coloured spots, and the protection against this terrible disease was, in popular belief, a posy of herbs. Sneezing was taken as a sure sign that you were about to die of it, and the last line "We all fall down" cos they die!



bit more info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_a_Ring_o'_Roses

[peterd]

"Bobby Shaftos gone to sea with silver buckles on his knee, when he comes back he'll marry me bonny Bobby Shafto"

This gadabout with an eye for the ladies was a Durham MP B1732 and married one of my relatives; he squandered much of the money which "came with" his bride. He went to sea - frequently with many a lady awaiting his return - Lots about him by just googling.

i live about half a mile accross the the fields from withworth hall shafto old haunt not a bad pub on there nice in the summer