Kids Quiz: Nursery Rhymes: 10 Questions | Kid Lit General

Answer: As I was going to St Ives

There are several versions of this nursery rhyme. One of them goes:

As I was going to St. Ives I met a man with seven wives,
Each wife had seven sacks, each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits: kits, cats, sacks and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives?

The answer to this riddle is usually understood to be ONE.

There are several places in England (and other countries) named St Ives.

Answer: Took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs

The origin of this nursery rhyme is believed to date back to the 16th century.

Goosey Goosey Gander whither shall I wander,
Upstairs, downstairs and in my lady's chamber
There I met an old man who would not say his prayers,
So I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs.

Answer: When I Grow Rich

There are many alternative verses to this nursery rhyme, which uses the names of the bells in a number of churches in the city of London. Here is one version.

"Oranges and lemons" say the Bells of St. Clement's
"You owe me five farthings" say the Bells of St. Martin's
"When will you pay me?" say the Bells of Old Bailey
"When I grow rich" say the Bells of Shoreditch
"When will that be?" say the Bells of Stepney
"I do not know" say the Great Bells of Bow
Here comes a Candle to light you to Bed
Here comes a Chopper to Chop off your Head
Chip chop chip chop - the Last Man's Dead.

Answer: Pecked off her nose

A cookbook from 1725 actually has a recipe for a pie that can fly out when it is cut!

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?

The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlor eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!

Answer: A crooked cat

This nursery rhyme has been popular since the 19th century. Did you know that a stile is set of steps that allows pedestrians to climb up and over a fence without having to open a gate?

There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.

Answer: Tom was beat

The title 'piper's son' could have referred to any piper in the English Army or Navy.

There are several alternate endings to this nursery rhyme, "Tom, the Piper's Son".

Tom Tom the piper's son
Stole a pig and away he run,
The pig was eat and Tom was beat
And Tom went roaring down the street.

Answer: Peter & Paul

When this popular rhyme, with its accompanying hand actions to amuse children, was first published around 1765, the birds were named Jack and Gill; the names changed early in the 19th century to those used today.

Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall,
One named Peter, one named Paul.
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul,
Come back Peter, come back Paul!

Answer: Wee Willie Winkie

Unlike most nursery rhymes, this one has very clear origins. It comes from the poem "Willie Winkie", by the Scottish poet William Miller, first published in 1841.

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs, downstairs in his nightgown.
Tapping at the window and crying through the lock,
Are all the children in their beds, it's past eight o'clock?

Answer: The North Wind Doth Blow

This rhyme is also sometimes called "The Robin".

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.

Answer: Nine

Pease pudding is traditionally served hot with boiled bacon or a form of sausage called a saveloy.

Pease porridge hot, pease poridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot - nine days old.
Some like it hot, some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot - nine days old.