Cock Robin
Encyclopedia
"Who Killed Cock Robin" is an English nursery rhyme
, which has been much used as a murder archetype in world culture. It has a Roud Folk Song Index
number of 494.
, published c. 1744, which noted only the first four verses. The extended version given below was not printed until c. 1770.
The rhyme has been often reprinted with illustrations, as suitable reading material for small children.
window at Buckland Rectory, Gloucestershire
, and the rhyme is similar to a story, Phyllyp Sparowe, written by John Skelton
about 1508. The use of the rhyme 'owl' with 'shovel', could suggest that it was originally used in older middle English pronunciation. Versions of the story appear to exist in other countries, including Germany.
A number of theories have been advanced to explain the meaning of the rhyme:
All of these theories are based on perceived similarities in the text to legendary or historical events, or on the similarities of names. Peter Opie pointed out that an existing rhyme could have been adapted to fit the circumstances of political events in the eighteenth century. As with many such theories there is no textual or supportive evidence that the rhyme is connected to the selected events, or that the phrase 'Cock Robin' was used before the rhyme was first published.
The theme of the death of Cock Robin, as well as the distinctive cadence of the poem has become something of an archetype, much used in literary fiction and other works of art, from poems, to murder mysteries, to cartoons. It was quoted most recently on "CSI
" by D.B. Russell (Ted Danson
) as a clue to solving a quadruple homicide.
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
, which has been much used as a murder archetype in world culture. It has a Roud Folk Song Index
Roud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
number of 494.
Lyrics
The earliest record of the rhyme is in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song BookTommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book is the earliest extant printed collection of English language nursery rhymes, published in London in 1744. It was a sequel to the lost Tommy Thumb's Song Book and contains the oldest version of many well-known and popular rhymes, as well as several that have been...
, published c. 1744, which noted only the first four verses. The extended version given below was not printed until c. 1770.
- Who killed Cock Robin?
- I, said the Sparrow
SparrowThe sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
,- with my bow and arrow,
- I killed Cock Robin.
- Who saw him die?
- I, said the Fly
FlyTrue flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
,- with my little eye,
- I saw him die.
- Who caught his blood?
- I, said the Fish
FishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
,- with my little dish,
- I caught his blood.
- Who'll make the shroud?
- I, said the Beetle
BeetleColeoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
,- with my thread and needle,
- I'll make the shroud.
- Who'll dig his grave?
- I, said the Owl
OwlOwls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
,- with my pick and shovel,
- I'll dig his grave.
- Who'll be the parson?
- I, said the Rook
Rook (bird)The Rook is a member of the Corvidae family in the passerine order of birds. Named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, the species name frugilegus is Latin for "food-gathering"....
,- with my little book,
- I'll be the parson.
- Who'll be the clerk?
- I, said the Lark
LarkLarks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark...
,- if it's not in the dark,
- I'll be the clerk.
- Who'll carry the link?
- I, said the Linnet
LinnetThe Linnet is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.The Linnet derives its scientific name from its fondness for hemp and its English name from its liking for seeds of flax, from which linen is made.- Description :...
,- I'll fetch it in a minute,
- I'll carry the link.
- Who'll be chief mourner?
- I, said the Dove
DovePigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
,- I mourn for my love,
- I'll be chief mourner.
- Who'll carry the coffin?
- I, said the Kite
Kite (bird)Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
,- if it's not through the night,
- I'll carry the coffin.
- Who'll bear the pall?
- We, said the Wren
WrenThe wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
,- both the cock and the hen,
- We'll bear the pall.
- Who'll sing a psalm?
- I, said the Thrush
Thrush (bird)The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
,- as she sat on a bush,
- I'll sing a psalm.
- Who'll toll the bell?
- I said the Bull
BullBull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
,- because I can pull,
- I'll toll the bell.
- All the birds of the air
- fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
- when they heard the bell toll
- for poor Cock Robin.
The rhyme has been often reprinted with illustrations, as suitable reading material for small children.
Origin and meaning
Although the song is not recorded until the eighteenth century there is some evidence that it might be much older. The death of a robin by an arrow is depicted in a stained glassStained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window at Buckland Rectory, Gloucestershire
Buckland, Gloucestershire
Buckland is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 256. The village is situated near the Worcestershire border and is about 9 miles south of Evesham....
, and the rhyme is similar to a story, Phyllyp Sparowe, written by John Skelton
John Skelton
John Skelton, also known as John Shelton , possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet.-Education:...
about 1508. The use of the rhyme 'owl' with 'shovel', could suggest that it was originally used in older middle English pronunciation. Versions of the story appear to exist in other countries, including Germany.
A number of theories have been advanced to explain the meaning of the rhyme:
- That the rhyme records a mythological event, such as the death of the god BalderBalderBaldr is a god in Norse mythology.In the 12th century, Danish accounts by Saxo Grammaticus and other Danish Latin chroniclers recorded a euhemerized account of his story...
from norse mythologyNorse mythologyNorse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, or the ritual sacrifice of a king figure, as proposed by early folklorists as in the 'Cutty WrenCutty WrenThe Cutty Wren and its variants like The Hunting of the Wren are traditional English folk songs. The origins and meaning of the song are disputed...
' theory of a 'pagan survival'. - That it is a parody of the death of William Rufus, who was killed by an arrow in the New Forest (Hampshire) in 1100.
- That the rhyme is connected with the fall of the government of Robert WalpoleRobert WalpoleRobert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
in 1742, since Robin is a diminutive form of Robert and the first printing is close to the time of the events mentioned. - More recently internet speculation has associated the rhyme with Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, largely, it seems on the basis of a shared name.
All of these theories are based on perceived similarities in the text to legendary or historical events, or on the similarities of names. Peter Opie pointed out that an existing rhyme could have been adapted to fit the circumstances of political events in the eighteenth century. As with many such theories there is no textual or supportive evidence that the rhyme is connected to the selected events, or that the phrase 'Cock Robin' was used before the rhyme was first published.
The theme of the death of Cock Robin, as well as the distinctive cadence of the poem has become something of an archetype, much used in literary fiction and other works of art, from poems, to murder mysteries, to cartoons. It was quoted most recently on "CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
" by D.B. Russell (Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
) as a clue to solving a quadruple homicide.
External links
- Death and Burial of Poor Cock Robin, by H. L. Stephens, from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...