Little Miss Muffet
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"Little Miss Muffet" is a nursery rhyme. It first appeared in print in 1805, in a book titled Songs for the Nursery.
Like many such rhymes, its origins are unclear. Some claim it was written by Dr. Thomas Muffet, a 16th century English entomologist, for his step-daughters; others claim it refers to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was said to have been frightened by John Knox, a Scottish religious reformer in the 16th century. The latter explanation is doubted by most literary scholars, who note that stories linking folk tales or songs to political events are a common urban legend.
A "tuffet" is a small stool, often three-legged and topped with a cushion, or a tuft of earth and grass. Or the last name "Muffet" may be a play on the word "muffin", or simply invented to rhyme with "tuffet".
Lyrics
- Little Miss Muffet
- Sat on a tuffet,
- Eating her curds and whey.
- Along came a spider,
- Who sat down beside her,
- And frightened Miss Muffet away!
External links
- [North Mymms - Parish and People] A feature about the author of Little Miss Muffet
- [Was Little Miss Muffet a local girl?] An article about the origins of Little Miss Muffet
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