Mary, Mary?


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Mary Mary  Susan, Susan, quite contrary what does will  your garden grow?  

Doesn’t scan so well for sure!

Three garden company seed catalogues all arrived on the same day – just two days after Christmas

I’ve not yet had time to investigate the tin that stores my seeds but will soon. No doubt I’ll be growing much the same as 2023.

This is the proper version of the nursery rhyme that I’ve altered for that first line,  known by many as

Mary, Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row

Did you know that the oldest version of the Nursery Rhyme was first published in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book of 1744. I didn’t until I looked on wiki!

Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And so my garden grows

I also didn’t know that Steve Roud, whose book ‘The English Year’ about the history of English customs, traditions and folklore, that I have on my shelves, has also catalogued many old songs to make the Roud Folksong Index. This covers about 25,000 songs in English collected from oral traditions around the world.

This nursery rhyme might be about Mary Tudor or Mary Queen of Scots but the truth is lost in history.

Back Tomorrow
Sue 



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