Rhymes trivia quiz
 
 
nursery rhyme lyrics & origins
 
 
Rhymes trivia quiz
 
nursery rhyme lyrics & origins
 

rhymes trivia quiz

 
 

Nursery Rhymes Lyrics and Origins

My Father left me
Three Acres of Land

Nursery Rhyme Lyrics, Origins and History

 

The Nursery Rhyme 'My father left me three acres of land' initially appears to be almost a nonsense rhyme but it does contain some interesting historical references!

What's "An acre of Land"?
An acre of land was originally the amount of land that could be ploughed in half a day with oxen. In England, in the medieval period during the 11th – 13th centuries the width of the original acre was 66 feet.

A Ram's Horn?
Farming is the oldest industry in the World and the earliest implements to stir the surface of the soil were probably pointed sticks, tree branches and even the horn of a ram!

Peppercorns not money!
Peppercorns were first known to be used as a spice by the Egyptians over 4000 years ago. Peppercorns were once considered as valuable as gold due to their scarcity and long life. Peppercorns were therefore used by traders in the Middle ages as a form of currency! The motives of Explorers, such as Christopher Columbus, and their quests for spices now becomes eminently clear! Perhaps when the young farmer "sowed it all over with one peppercorn" this was an similar saying to the 'Money Tree'.

"A goose's quill"!
Quill pens were first used in the 1600's. The best pens were made from the flight feathers of geese because the goose feather shaft has a unique characteristic which allows ink to be held until light pressure is applied which then allows the ink to flow. After the feathers were plucked the shaft needed to be carved - the word "penknife" came into the English language! The word pen comes from the Latin word "Penna" which means feather. Sometimes only two or three goose feathers were found suitable by the quill-makers - but the quill-pen was reusable!

Help us to maintain our history and heritage through the words and lyrics of old Nursery Rhymes like 'My father left me three acres of land'

 
 
 

My Father left me Three Acres of Land

 
 
 

My Father left me Three Acres of Land
Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history

My father left me three acres of land,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
My father left me three acres of land,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I ploughed it with a ram's horn,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
And sowed it all over with one peppercorn,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I harrowed it with a bramble bush,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
And reaped it with my little penknife,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I got the mice to carry it to the barn,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
And threshed it with a goose's quill,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I got the puss to carry it to the mill,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
The miller he swore he would have her paw,
And the cat she swore she would scratch his face,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy.

My Father left me Three Acres of Land
Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history

 

Note: A Rhymes lyrics and the perceived origins of some Nursery Rhymes vary according to location

 

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Written By Linda Alchin