Nursery Rhyme
Lyrics and Origins

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"Croak!" said the Toad
Nursery Rhyme
Lyrics, Origins and History

We have placed this Nursery Rhyme, "Croak!" said the toad , in our category 'Lost Lyrics of an Old Nursery Rhyme'. Can you help us identify the the place of origin or history of this lesser known children's nursery rhyme? Contact us at webmaster@rhymes.org.uk we'd love to hear from you!

Many Nursery rhymes of the 16th and 17th centuries featured animals like the Cat, Frog, Toad, Pig, Goose, Raven, Goat, Wolf, Bat and Mouse. This was also the era when people were obsessed by Witches. These animals were associated with witches as their familiars and Mother Goose is often illustrated in the guise of a witch - is there a connection between the Origins of Nursery Rhymes and the Witch?

Help us to maintain our history and heritage through the words and lyrics of old Nursery Rhymes like ' "Croak!" said the toad '

"Croak!" said the Toad

Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history

"Croak!" said the toad,
"I'm hungry, I think;
Today I've had nothing
To eat or to drink.

I'll crawl to a garden
And jump through the *pales,
And there I'll dine nicely
On slugs and on snails."

"Ho, ho!" quoth the frog,
"Is that what you mean?
Then I'll hop away to
The next meadow stream;

There I will drink, and
Eat worms and slugs too,
And then I shall have a
Good dinner like you."

"Croak!" said the Toad

Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history

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*And jump through the pales (previously mis-spelt pails)
Our thanks go to John Collins for the definition of the old English word 'pale'. A pale was a name for a fence. The mis-spelling illustrates how the meaning of old words are forgotten and replaced by more well known spellings, totally changing the meaning in the process! For more information about this we would recommend the following website: Castles
Extract - "The Motte and Bailey Castle tower was surrounded by a rampart and palisades - A fence of pales forming a defence barrier or fortification ( a pale was a fence, or timber wall, made with a stake or pointed stick which enclosed the area)"