10 Darkest Nursery Rhymes - Dark Nursery Rhymes

At Fable Night, we delve into the darker side of classic nursery rhymes. Casting their spell over centuries, nursery rhymes have played a major role in the early development of generations of children. They help to introduce us to language, they support reading skills, in many cases they give children their first taste of music.

This isn’t the whole story, however. The truth is that, behind their light and fluffy exterior, many nursery rhymes recount dark and disturbing tales of death, disease, violence and religious persecution. Here is our guide to some of the darkest nursery rhymes of all time.

Our collection of the ’10 Darkest Nursery Rhymes’ brings a new perspective to the tales you thought you knew. From the true story of Humpty Dumpty’s fall to the eerie origins of Rock-a-bye Baby, each rhyme comes with a twist that will intrigue and fascinate.

The darkest nursery rhymes of all time

10. Oranges and Lemons

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement’s.

You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin’s.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells at Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Chip chop chip chop the last man is dead

9. Ring around the Rosie

Ring around the rosie,
A pocket full of posies.
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down!

8. Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

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

7. Goosey Goosey Gander

Goosey goosey gander,
Whither shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs
And in my lady’s chamber.
There I met an old man
Who wouldn’t say his prayers,
So I took him by his left leg
And threw him down the stairs.

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6. Three Blind Mice

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run. See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer’s wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life
As three blind mice?

5. London Bridge is Falling Down

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay,
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away,
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair lady.

Build it up with bricks and mortar,
Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
My fair lady.

Bricks and mortar will not stay,
Will not stay, will not stay,
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
My fair lady.

Build it up with iron and steel,
Iron and steel, iron and steel,
Build it up with iron and steel,
My fair lady.

Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Bend and bow, bend and bow,
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
My fair lady.

Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold,
Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair lady.

Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away,
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
My fair lady.

Set a man to watch all night,
Watch all night, watch all night,
Set a man to watch all night,
My fair lady.

Suppose the man should fall asleep,
Fall asleep, fall asleep,
Suppose the man should fall asleep?
My fair lady.

Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
Smoke all night, smoke all night,
Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
My fair lady.

4. Jack and Jill

Up Jack got and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper;
Went to bed to mend his head
With vinegar and brown paper.

Jill came in and she did grin
To see his paper plaster;
Mother, vex’d, did whip her next
For causing Jack’s disaster.

3. Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again

2. Rock-a-bye-Baby

Rock a bye baby on 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.

1. Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we wash our face, Wash our face, wash our face. This is the way we wash our face On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we comb our hair, Comb our hair, comb our hair. This is the way we comb our hair On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we brush our teeth, Brush our teeth, brush our teeth. This is the way we brush our teeth On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we put on our clothes, Put on our clothes, put on our clothes. This is the way we put on our clothes On a cold and frosty morning.

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning.

Explore Nursery Rhymes with Fable Night

Join us on a journey through the shadowy paths of nursery rhymes at Fable Night. Whether you’re a history buff, a folklore enthusiast, or just curious about the darker side of these classic stories, our collection of 'Dark Nursery Rhymes’ promises to reveal secrets that will change the way you think about these traditional tales.

Explore more Nursery Rhymes here: Nursery Rhymes

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Julia Martin

Julia Martin is a woman of diverse interests and skills, based in the United States. Creativity is a significant part of Julia’s life. She channels her imaginative spirit into writing – from heartfelt poems and enchanting children’s fairy tales to captivating fantasy stories and narratives filled with suspense. Julia firmly believes in the power of storytelling in fostering a child’s imagination, enriching vocabulary, and enhancing intellectual development. Moreover, this practice strengthens the emotional bond between parent and child, instilling a sense of security and love. Julia dedicates her fairy tales to her wonderful husband Nikodem and her daughter Nadia, reflecting the love and passion that she puts into every aspect of her life.