*
Ladybird, ladybird fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children are gone,
All except one, and her name is Ann,
And she hid under the baking pan.
The rhyme comes from Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, published in London in 1744. Just like the ladybird, spotted this week inside a whorl of freshly sprouting oregano, the book is very tiny. Here are some images from the British Museum which owns one of two surviving copies. You can see more images and find out more about the little book of rhymes that some us once knew (well perhaps not all of them) HERE.
Tish Farrell 
here’s to the ladybugs –
Adorable nursery rhyme. I remember my grandmother reading or quoting nursery rhymes. To think they were over 200 years old when she quoted them shows the enormous power of print. The ladybug in her oregano diner is a perfect brightsquare, Tish. But for me the tiny book is as delectable as fresh-baked Boston cream cake. Perfect post.
Thanks, Marsha. That tiny book is truly something, isn’t it.
I’m so glad you photographed your fingers. It is so amazing. I’m sure both paper and ink were very expensive and rare. It is not surprising.
The book images are both courtesy of the British Museum website 🙂
So those weren’t your fingers? Well they certainly added perspective.
Ha! My gardener’s fingers would not make good viewing 🙂
You said it!
LOL Mine either! They look bad even when I don’t garden. They’ve gotten so wrinkled and splotchy I don’t know who they belong to any more. 🙂
That has the makings of horror story, doesn’t it. Finding yourself with hands you don’t recognise as your own!
I have to laugh! Yes, it does sound like a horror story. Are you a writer of horror stories?
Now that’s a good question. Some of my tales are a rather dark.
I’ve noticed that about several writers. Have you ever read my Story Chat Series. I don’t write them, but I publish a short story then we chat about it. It’s a lot of fun. Many of them are a bit dark. Here’s a link to my page with the listing of all that we’ve done so far. https://tchistorygal.net/story-chat-2/
Thanks for this, Marsha.
You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to participate if you are interested. 🙂
❤️
it is good rhyming stanza on ladybug
hee hee the minute I saw your square I started saying the rhyme out loud 😀 I though have never heard about Anne and her baking pan before!
Me neither!
Phew glad not just me that hadn’t heard that line
I think I read there was a far darker version that preceded that ending. Something about them all being burned! One explanation of the rhyme was said to be about discouraging anyone from killing a ladybird. Very wise.
I am liking the final sentence not the first!
That is indeed a curious detail, Becky.
Some of these nursery rhymes are very dark indeed. The ‘piss a bed’ is very cruel!
Your bright squares are teaching me a lot this month Tish,
So happy you’re liking my bright squares. I had a notion of adding value, as it were. And I’ve learned a few things too 🙂
Added value is appreciated.
🙂
Totally agree, Jude
Thank you, Sue.
😊😊
Good photo and I love “little” books.
It’s a treat isn’t it.
How beautiful, Tish! Wonderful little book and who doesn’t love a ladybug? 🤗💕
I do remember being bitten by one when we had the big swarms of them one summer aeons ago. I was most put out.
😘💕
You know, I haven’t seen any ladybugs in a long time. We used to have a lot of them, but they seem to have disappeared. Adorable little book 😀
They do spend some time in a juvenile larval stage when they’re not so obvious, nor very pretty. Hopefully yours will reappear.
I love this image Tish. I can’t remember the last time I saw a ladybird 😕
UK species are said to be under attack from invader ones, which is worrying. They seem to do the most bio-control in their larval state when they are v. hard to spot, or indeed to recognise as a ladybird. Hopefully yours are lurking somewhere.
I hope so too.
Americans find it fascinating that people in other countries call ladybugs ‘ladybirds’. Oh, how nursery rhymes and fairy tales were dark and scary back then.
Ladybird is indeed a curious name. And you are right, Jennie. Old tales and rhymes had some very sinister angles.
I have my mother’s childhood book of Grimm’s fairy tales. Yikes!
Dark doings indeed!
Yes! Cinderella is horrible, nothing like the Disney version.