10 May 17 - 08:19 PM (#3854336) Subject: Origins: Five Little Monkeys From: GUEST Does anyone know the origin of this nursery rhyme? Don't say it comes from Short'nin bread. I Need the real origin! please tell me! |
10 May 17 - 10:05 PM (#3854356) Subject: RE: Origins: Five Little Monkeys From: Joe Offer Can you give us any more of the rhyme as you know it? Katlaughing posted a song with that title several years ago:
Posted By: katlaughing 05-Jan-08 - 10:41 AM Thread Name: Pre Schoolers' music Subject: RE: Pre Schoolers' music
There's also a good counting down song: And another: Thread #11190 Message #82513 Posted By: Cap't Bob 28-May-99 - 08:18 PM Thread Name: Counting Songs Subject: RE: Counting Songs
then ther is:
There's a Wikipedia page on the song that you might enjoy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Little_Monkeys. Also a Wikipedia page on "Ten Little Indians": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Little_Indians There's a book called The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Edited by Iona and Peter Opie, 1997). On pp. 386-388, it has reverse-counting songs like "Ten Little Nigger Boys went out to dine" and "Ten Little Injuns standing in a line" that follow this same pattern, with one fewer each verse. So, it's an age-old pattern with many variations. Yours is a modern one, no doubt. -Joe Offer- |
10 May 17 - 10:20 PM (#3854360) Subject: ADD: Five Little Monkeys From: Joe Offer From Wikipedia: FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS
An additional part is: No little monkeys jumping on the bed, None fell down and bumped their heads. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said: Put those monkeys straight back to the bed! An alternate version sometimes seen is: Five little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be, And snatched that monkey out of that tree! Four little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be, And snatched that monkey out of that tree! Three little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be, And snatched that monkey out of that tree! Two little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be, And snatched that monkey out of that tree! One little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr. Alligator quiet as can be, And snatched that monkey out of that tree! No more monkeys swinging in a tree! |
11 May 17 - 04:04 AM (#3854388) Subject: RE: Origins: Five Little Monkeys From: Ernest From "The early works of Chongo Chimp, Vol. I" Little Hawk Publishing House, Orilla, Canada 1916 |
11 May 17 - 04:34 AM (#3854394) Subject: RE: Origins: Five Little Monkeys From: Senoufou There's apparently a German version of this song with the words, "Zehn kleine Negerlein"., which most unfortunately points to a racist origin. From the late forties onward, I had never heard this 'Five Little Monkeys' song in UK, so I imagine it's of USA origin. However, Agatha Christie wrote the murder novel (1939) which has been hurriedly changed to 'And Then There Were None'. And we did chant 'Eenie Meenie Minie Mo", which has the 'N' word in the next line. So we weren't saints. |