The original post asks whether there is anything sinister about the Muffin Man. There is a temptation to read symbolism and hidden codes into old nursery rhymes when there is no evidence that such symobolism exists. Look what happened to poor old "Ring-a-ring-a roses" which some folklorists claimed must be about the Black Death! Fortunately the Opies deconstructed this theory. I think that the Muffin Man is just a song about a Muffin Man, full stop.

I was interested to read the posting about it being used as a game. I remember in a Cornish pub about 30 years ago when a group of singers sang the Muffin Man with a chorus of "down, down, down, the Muffin Man", when the singer crouched as low as he/she could, and then "Up, up,up, the Muffin Man" when they drew themselves back to their full height. It loses in the telling, but it quite fun in the haze of alcohol! Has any other Mudcatter come across this way of performing the song?

Also the tune was used for the dance "Dorset Four Hand Reel". Not a lot of people know that.

Gwilym