top of page

Nursery Rhymes

In our show Pinocchio: Puppet Detective, our titular detective and his team visit Gooseburg, the Nursery Rhyme Neighbourhood. These Nursery Rhymes are traditional poems from Britian, and we know not everyone is familiar with them, so we wanted to share some of them with you. While you enjoy the show, see how many references you can spot (most of them are easy).

 

Gooseburg itself is named for Mother Goose (or at least her ancestors who founded the place), Mother Goose herself being the legendary figure who told these nursery rhymes in the first place.  Mrs. Newberry is named for John Newberry, the noted publisher who essentially created the category of children's books in the first place, and (it's shrouded in mystery!) may have been the first ever to publish Mother Goose rhymes.

​

Old Mother Goose

Old Mother Goose when she wanted to wander

Would ride through the air on a very fine gander.

​​

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water

Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after.

​​

The Muffin Man

Oh do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?

Do you know the muffin man who lives on Drury Lane?

Oh yes I know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man!

Yes I know the muffin man who lives on Drury Lane.

​

Tommy Tittlemouse

Little Tommy Tittlemouse lived in a little house.

He caught fishes in other men's ditches.

 

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

What are little boys made of? What are little boys made of?
Snips, snails and puppy-dogs' tails
That's what little boys are made of

What are little girls made of? What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and everything nice
That's what little girls are made of.

​

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row.

​

Tom, Tom the Piper's Son

Tom, Tom the piper's son, stole a pig and away he run,
The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, and Tom went howling down the street.

​

Jack Sprat

Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean.

And so between the both of them they licked the platter clean.

​

Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider that sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

​

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

And all the King's horses and all the King's men 

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

​

Little Bo-Peep

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them.

Leave them alone, and they'll come home, wagging their tails behind them.

​

Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard to give her poor dog a bone.

But when she got there the cupboard was bare, and so her poor dog had none.

​

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater had a wife but couldn't keep her.

He put her in a pumpkin shell, and there he kept her very well.

​

​

​

​

​​

Old Mother Goose.jpg
Tommy Tittlemouse (final).jpg
bottom of page