Two Traditional English Children’s Rhymes

 

Level: TBD

Aims: Exposure to English culture, develop dictionary skills, vocabulary development

Grammar: No grammar aims here.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Photocopies of the rhymes, dictionary

 

Introduction This activity introduces two traditional English children’s rhymes. Rock-a-bye Baby is the traditional lullaby of the English world. Mothers sing it to children to calm them and put them to sleep. It wouldn’t be overstating it to say that almost every speaker of English knows this lullaby.

Tinker, Tailor is a traditional rhyme that English girls recite. The idea in this rhyme is to tell a girl’s fortune when she finds a husband. She will pluck the petals of a flower while reciting the rhyme (much like “He loves me, he loves me not…”), and when the flower runs out of petals, the girl finds out her fortune with her future husband: will he be a tinker? A tailor? A soldier? A sailor? Etc.

The students will be given photocopies of the Text of the Rhymes. Using the Text of the Rhymes with Notes, go through the text. Follow this with the Discussion Questions.

 

 

Text of the Rhymes

 

Rock-a-bye Baby

 

Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top,

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all!

 

 

Tinker, Tailor

 

Tinker, tailor

Soldier, sailor

Rich man, poor man

Beggar man, thief.

 

 

 

Text of the Rhymes with Notes

 

Rock-a-bye Baby

 

·        Sing the song once for the class. Have them sing it.

Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top,

  • Demonstrate the “rock-a-bye” motion, cradling a baby in your arm.
  • “Bye” as in “goodbye”: point out its relation to going to sleep.

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

  • Dictionary lookup: “cradle”
  • Reading in context: “to rock”
  • Point out English rhyme scheme: top/rock

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

  • Dictionary lookup: “bough”. Synonym: “branch”.

And down will come baby, cradle and all!

  • Point out English rhyme scheme: fall/all

 

 

Tinker, Tailor

 

  • Recite the rhyme for the class, explaining why English girls recite it. Demonstrate it by plucking the petals of a flower.

Tinker, tailor

  • Dictionary lookup: “tinker”. Point out that we don’t use this word in English any more. What’s a modern word for a tinker? Verb: “to tinker”.

Soldier, sailor

  • Dictionary lookup: “sailor”. Verb: “to sail”.
  • Point out the English rhyme scheme: tailor/sailor
  • Point out the alliteration of the first two lines: t + t / s + s; say, “This sounds pretty to an English ear.”

Rich man, poor man

Beggar man, thief.

  • Dictionary lookup: “beggar”, “thief”

 

 

 

Questions for Discussion

  1. “Rock-a-bye Baby” is a lullaby. What are some lullabies in Korea?
  2. What is the story of “Rock-a-bye Baby?” What story does the song tell?
  3. Why is the baby in a tree top?

·         I think this refers to an adult holding a child. “Down will come baby” I think refers to putting the sleeping child into bed. “When the wind blows, the cradle will rock” refers, I think, to the rocking motion of the adult’s arms as she lulls the child to sleep. However, these are only this author’s glosses, and they don’t entirely make sense. It is important to realize that this song is so old, we don’t even really sing it for meaning. The original meaning may be lost in time.

  1. Are there any rhymes, songs, or games like “Tinker, Tailor” in Korea?