I just thought of something today about Dad that jogged my memory back to when I was very young. Do any of you remember this? We would ask Dad to "tell me a story", to which he would reply, "I'll tell you a story about Jack A Nory, and now my story's begun. I'll tell you another of Jack and his brother and now my story's done."Actually, until today, I always thought Dad was saying, "I'll tell you a story about Jack and Orey ...." (Or would he say "John and Orey", I can't accurately recall) Then I did some looking around to find that he was actually reciting an old English nursery rhyme. According to Wikipedia, the rhyme was first recorded when published in The Top Book of All, for little Masters and Misses around 1760.
They only thing I remember other than Dad saying the rhyme was that I would always get frustrated because I wanted an exciting long story and Dad would chuckle as he finished it in less than 15 seconds. I can clearly remember him starting the rhyme and me immediately interrupting him with, "No, not that one! I mean a real story!" Then I thought of times several years back when I would respond with that same rhyme when my kids asked me to tell them a story, only to hear them complain back to me the same way I did to Dad!
4 comments:
I just had to look it up. Never heard Mom say it, just Dad. Maybe Grandma Calkins, but never Grandpa. Therefore, originating with the Liddles, or perhaps the Tanner family, but English anyway. Often found in the Mother Goose collections, sometimes as Mary Morey and her brother. Jack and brother is found as far back as "The Top Book of All For Little Masters and Misses", England, circa 1760.
Funny because just yesterday, I was remembering "What's your name? Puddin' tame, ask me again and I'll tell you the same."
As a side note, I don't remember the Jack & Ory story. I don't think I ever even remember asking dad to tell me a story. I remember just trying to stay out of the way and be quiet, although not so successfullly. Maybe it was because of grandma Calkins living there..
I think today some parents "miss the boat" when not teaching or reciting nursery rhymes to their children. They have rhythm and poetry. However, many of them were outdated when WE were young so the interest is not there
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