Children love nursery rhymes! They make perfect first stories for children and they help with language development, build social skills, spark a child’s interest in books and open the door to creative thinking. Nursery rhymes also connect us to the past and improve fine motor skills and coordination. They give children a special insight to life and offer an interesting insight into history.
One particular rhyme that is interesting as well as informative, is Hark Hark This rhyme goes back to the 13th century in England. It is significant in that it has a great deal of history and truth in it. At that time in England, wandering beggars, troubadours and minstrels went from city to city singing their songs. In the words of their ballads, messages of dissent were sung to the common people.
It was a way, at that time, to spread propaganda from one community to another. The secret messages sometimes lead to plots and uprisings against the church, royalty and politicians of the day. Going back further than the 13th century in Saxon, England, professional storytellers would travel all over the country and would tell stories in order to make a living.
When the Bubonic Plague broke out in England during the 13th century, strangers in a town were looked upon as people who were almost inhuman. Actually, strangers were looked upon as a kind of “walking dead”. Dogs barking throughout the town alerted everyone that strangers were in the area. That is why Hark Hark was created.
This is how the rhyme went:
“Hark, hark the dogs do bark
Hark, hark the dogs do bark
The beggars are coming to town
Some in rags and some in jags*
And one in a velvet gown.”
Another explanation for this rhyme is that it refers to the Dissolution of the Monasteries that occurred during the middle of the 16th century. This was brought on by King Henry VIII and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell, when England broke from the Catholic Church. It was their goal to steal from the monasteries and take away the monastic lands. Once they sold the monastic lands, it greatly increased the wealth of the Church of England. Monks began begging in the streets and this was reflected in the lyrics of Hark Hark Children love reading a nursery rhyme. The rhyme takes them to another world, one that is interesting and exciting.
To conclude, Hark Hark is an excellent example of a children’s nursery rhyme. It provides a historical background, is a fascinating read for children and gives children a special insight to life. If you want to add creativity and fun to your child’s life, introduce them to rhymes today!