Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales

English nursery lore becomes a record of everyday tradition in this collection by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps. Published in 1849 as a sequel to his earlier collection of nursery rhymes, it brings together fireside stories, riddles, alphabet verses, nature songs and sayings about local places and families. Halliwell-Phillipps gathered material preserved in different districts and compares English rhymes with related versions from northern Europe, including songs about the ladybird.

The book also preserves how children played. In the diamond ring game, a concealed ring passes between clasped hands while players guess who holds it. Another game tests replies against a set of forbidden words, while the bramble-bush dance accompanies imitations of washing and ironing clothes. These instructions sit beside the rhymes and the compiler’s historical commentary, making the collection useful for readers interested in childhood customs, oral storytelling and the links between familiar verses and older traditions.