Three Blind Mice

Three blind mice!
Three blind mice!
See how they run!
See how they run!

They all ran after the farmer's wife
who cut off their tails with a carving knife!
Did you ever see such a sight in your life,
as three blind mice?

The main variation I've found with this rhyme is whether or not the first two lines are repeated. I was brought up repeating them, so that's the way I present it here. Technically it's not a rhyme at all, but a song, specifically a round. The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes says that it is "probably the best-known round in the world" although I've personally not seen it sung as a round very often.

According to Extradinary Origins of Everyday Things (see resources), it first appeared in print on October 12, 1609, apparently written by Thomas Ravenscroft, the author of the book of songs it appeared in.

Origins of Nursery Rhymes (see resources) claims that it has a hidden meaning wherein the farmer's wife is really Mary, Queen of Scots (who had a lot of farmland) and the mice are noblemen who crossed her. I tend not to agree with this particular theory, as it seems a bit farfetched.

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Do you know something about this nursery rhyme that you would like to see shared? E-mail me at Falen_gingerbread at hotmail.com