Nursery Rhyme Origins Nelly Bligh caught a fly and tied to to some string Let go a little way and pulled it back again.
Buzz wuzz was that little fly and how he loved to roam Up and down the mantlepeiece and that he called his home. Cockney Rhyming slang The words "Nelly Blighs" meaning 'Eyes' are derived from Cockney Rhyming slang which originated in London. Cockneys were a close community and had a suspicion of strangers and a dislike of the Police (they still do!) Cockneys developed a language of their own based roughly on a rhyming slang - it was difficult for strangers to understand as invariably the second noun would always be dropped. Apples and Pears ( meaning stairs) would be abbreviated to just 'apples', for instance, "watch your step on the apples". The phrase "Use your Nellys" would have meant keep your eyes open for any problems. Our grateful thanks go to Roger Martin for reminding us about this song & rhyme Thanks Martin! |