Humpty Dumpty: Metafolklore, Riddles, and Yolks
Posted by: Stephen Winick
This post looks at the history and meaning of the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty." It considers several popular origin stories for the rhyme, including that it is about Richard III of England, or about a siege engine in the English Civil War. It points out that these stories constitute "metafolklore," or folklore about folklore, and traces their history. It also considers how the rhyme works as a riddle, whose solution is "an egg." It includes many unusual versions of "Humpty Dumpty," many fun stories, and many classic illustrations!
Posted in: Folksong, Medieval Folklore, Metafolklore (Folklore about Folklore), Poetry, riddles
