Saturday Songs: Jack and Jill

Before I write my thoughts as well as my findings on this rhyme, I shall first like to note the verses that are known to follow the most common first stanza. According to the most modern version, the rhyme goes as:

Jack and Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

Up Jack got, and home did trot,

As fast as he could caper,

To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob (OR And went to bed to mend his head)

With vinegar and brown paper

 

There are several versions of the rhyme and following verses are among options that have been seen in various versions and various reproductions of the rhyme through history, but not formally document as the complete rhyme anywhere.

 

Jill came in and she did grin               

To see his paper plaster;

Mother vexed did whip her next

For laughing at Jack's disaster.

 

Now Jack did laugh and Jill did cry

But her tears did soon abate;

Then Jill did say that they should play

At see-saw across the gate.

 

This single unified rhyme was extracted from wikipedia where further alternatives of each of the verses are available. Wikipedia also provides many many theories and narrations for the origin of these lines varying from abduction of kids from earth to the moon, failure of kings to negotiate peace, taxes on liquor (Jack refers to 1/2 pint and Jill to 1/4), deposing of kings ("lost his crown") and so on. To read these theories in detail, you may http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_and_Jill_(nursery_rhyme) 

follow the link:

Again, almost all the rhymes I chose here were those that were discussed with dad during that conversation I referred to in the initial meme and the question we had raised then with regards to Jack and Jill was, why would someone go "up an hill" to fetch water? Logic prevails one comes down a hill for that right?Hmmm.....all the research and discoveries about the rhyme, and that question is still unanswered.