The History behind the words and lyrics!
The origins and history of this Nursery Rhyme are in England, which is clear due to the reference to the English county of Gloucestershire (Doctor Foster went to Gloucester). A warning to a child in days gone by, prior to modern roads, that what could appear to be a shallow puddle could in fact be far deeper! An attempt to keep a child clean and safe! The origins of this nursery rhyme are reputed to lie in English history dating back to the Plantagenant reign in the 13th century when King Edward 1 was reputed to have visited Gloucester and fell from his horse into a large muddy puddle! He was so humiliated by this event that he refused to ever return to the town of Gloucester ever again! |
