Higgledy Piggledy Nursery Rhyme Lyrics, Origins and History

We have placed this Nursery Rhyme, Higgledy Piggledy, in our category 'Lost Lyrics of an Old Nursery Rhyme'. 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 like ' Higgledy Piggledy'and the Witch?

Higglety Pigglety, My black hen, She lays eggs For gentlemen; Sometimes nine, And sometimes ten, Higgledy Piggledy, My black hen!

"Higglety, pigglety, pop! The dog has ate the mop The pig's in a hurry, The cat's in a flurry-Higglety, pigglety--pop."

Higglety, pigglety, my black hen, She lays eggs for gentlemen. Gentlemen come every day To see what my black hen doth lay. Sometimes nine, and sometimes ten. Higglety, pigglety, my black hen,

Higgledy-piggledy as an adjective and an adverb means in a jumble; as a noun, it means, a muddle.

Higgledy piggledy is an adjective meaning utter disorder or confusion; topsy-turvy; jumbled; random.

Lost Lyrics, History and Origins of Old Nursery Rhymes

The words and lyrics of Nursery Rhymes are important to our history and culture. We have therefore included in this section the 'Lost Lyrics of Old Nursery Rhymes'- the words and lyrics to the lesser known and old nursery rhymes that are in danger of being lost forever. Fashions come and go, child care methods change but we still repeat the favourite and famous old nursery rhymes to our children. Reciting old Nursery Rhymes to children is the most pleasurable first step to providing our children's education. But this particular section will be of interest to the adults! We were really surprised at the number of old nursery rhymes that we had never heard of before! Our interest grew and grew! We managed to purchase some really old books containing nursery rhymes and realised that they all should be available online - hence this section and why we called it 'Lost Lyrics of Old Nursery Rhymes' - a free, online resource containing the words and lyrics to as many old nursery rhymes as we could locate - and their history and origins.