Mary had a little lamb and she loved it :)

My one year old daughter has developed a new liking – English Rhymes. And she can listen to them anywhere, any time and while doing anything – eating, playing et all and still enjoys them. I downloaded the longest video I could find from the Youtube which stands roughly at an hour and half and has possibly all the rhymes that I have ever known. My daughter makes me and my wife sing them for her if we hide the iPad away from her.

Anyways having heard so many rhymes over the past few days what struck me was the amount of violence there is in something meant for babies and toddlers. Mind you I am not joking, I have heard all types of violent stuff possible. From people falling (Jack fell down and broke his crown) to monuments crumbling (London bridge is falling down); they have everything. They don’t even spare old men (I met an old man, who wouldn’t say his prayers, I took him by the leftleg and threw him down the stairs) and even animals, even the differently abled ones.  In a rhyme about 3 blind mice they have their tails cut off with a carving knife by a farmer’s wife J

Forget about Humpty Dumpty who had a great fall, he was just a stupid egg and it’s impossible for anyone to put him together but I do feel sorry for the Baa Baa Black sheep who has to give out all her wool. Even the gods are not spared, look at the arrogance with which little Johnny tells the rain god to get lost to Spain and not show his face again. It does not stop there, poor pussy is thrown in the well by little Johnny thin and 4 little monkeys are eaten by the crocodile in a snap. This Johnny fellow is especially mischievous, and he even lies to his parents and is caught stealing (Johnny, Johnny, Yes Papa).

And you thought ‘Mary had a little lamb’ was cute. That, my friend, is because you have interpreted it incorrectly. Let me tell you the real meaning.

Mary had a little lamb

Real meaning: Mary ate some lamb at a restaurant

Her fleece as white as snow

Real meaning: They are talking about Mary’s jacket she was wearing and I know you thought they were taking about the sheep’s wool coat.

fleece

noun \ˈflēs\

: the woolly coat of a sheep

: a soft cloth that is used to make warm clothes

: a jacket made from this cloth

Everywhere that Mary went,

The lamb was sure to go.

Real meaning: Mary so loved the lamb, that after this she always took a to go (American slang for a Takeaway or parcel) irrespective of what she ate the restaurant.

So my friends, I am confused if I should let my daughter continue listening to the rhymes. Please suggest!