Childish comprehension

A few days ago I overheard a young mum singing nursery rhymes to her child - not such a common occurrence these days. It reminded me of my early childhood. My mother, who had been a primary school teacher, often used to sing nursery rhymes with me, all the usual ones, Jack and Jill, Baa Baa Black Sheep, The Grand Old Duke of York, etc, etc. There was one that always puzzled me - This Little Piggy Went to Market. The final line is "And this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, wee all the way home". I was surprised that there was a nursery rhyme about an incontinent piglet, but Mummy used to sing it so obviously it was OK. It was only some years later that I realised the final line was actually, "And this little piggy went "Wee, wee, wee, wee" all the way home" and the "wee's" were not what he did but the noise he made. Ah.

Which reminds me of something my mother once told me. When she was little she never really understood one of the hymns they used to sing in church. It was entitled, "Gladly the cross-eyed bear." It was only later she realised her misunderstanding.