Living In A Children's Nursery Rhyme

I used to wonder what inspired nursery rhyme authors to write the poems and songs they blessed the world with. If you've ever really listened to the words, they're not all rosie and nice. Just like the stories of Mother Goose and Grimm. The Disney-fied versions are not the original versions of the stories of "The Little Mermaid," "Cinderella," or even "Snow White."

I'll tackle the Grimm stories later. I'm focusing on the nursery rhymes right now because I realized that Pop Goes The Weasel has been running through my head a lot lately, in this mocking and antagonistic tone. Over and over again, stuck in my head. I began to take this song personally as I thought about the words and realized further that it felt like the elusive search for justice and fairness and financial security was exactly like the flight of the weasel, being chased tirelessly by the monkey.

So I did a little research on that popular nursery rhyme song.

Pop Goes The Weasel dates back to 17th or 18th Century England. The verses change throughout the centuries depending on what's happening at the time. Sometimes it's a sign of the times, and sometimes, it's just really and truly "all in fun."

The original song most likely came about describing the trials and tribulations of the common working man and his neverending cycle of poverty. The monkey (working man) is chasing after the weasel (need for money). The monkey trusts he's going to catch the weasel and just about attains his goal, when suddenly POP goes the weasel (all hope for financial security is dashed as the money disappears and plunges the man into poverty). There's also this tidbit from Wiki:

"The 'Monkey' is believed to be a nineteenth century term for a public house
drinking vessel. A 'stick' is a shot of alcohol, while 'knock it off' is to
drink it. Therefore, this is a description of drinking in the pub. The later
reference in the song to the monkey chasing people around the workplace might
well describe longing for a drink while working, or perhaps while penniless
right before payday."

So basically, the monkey lives paycheck to paycheck, blowing his money on items of necessity, but thanks to his poverty, he tries to numb the blow with shots of whiskey in the pub, longing for more secure finances.

The song also mocks how hardworking people are. Sewing by hand is a long, tedious job, but for all the hard work, it's a pitance and gone before you can blink.

Here are the lyrics. Enjoy them, if you can ;-)

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.

Or the alternate verses:

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
Mix it up and make it nice,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Or the alternate verses:

Up and down the city road, (also seen as 'Up and down the King's
Highway')
In and out the Eagle,
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
For you may try to sew and sew,
But you'll never make anything regal,
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.

In both England and the English colonies, extra verses have been added, some
humorous and others serious:

All around the mulberry bush,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The dog, he thought 'twas all in fun.
Pop! goes the weasel.

or...

Ev'ry night, when I come home,
The monkey's on the table.
I take a stick and knock him off,
Pop! goes the weasel.

or...

Round and round the cobblers bench,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun.
Pop! goes the weasel.
A penny for a spool of thread,
A penny for a needle.
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.