Ever Wondered...?

The popular children’s song Pop Goes The Weasel makes no sense. There’s a monkey, a bench and a weasel, and all of sudden “pop goes the weasel!” What is that all about anyway?

The tune for this song has been used in traditional dances. Unfortunately, rhymes like this were spread by word of mouth so the exact origin is unclear. The fun tune and seemingly silly lyrics hide their origins well.

Weasels looking out of pots — Courtesy of Freerange media.

There is no telling how much of the rhyme has been misinterpreted through word of mouth, not to mention the different versions of the song. There are several possibilities as to how it came to be.

NONSENSE

This fun rhyme may be exactly what it seems. With no defined date of origin, it’s possible that Pop Goes The Weasel is nothing more the nonsense song it sounds like. The rhyme is thought to have originated sometime around 1850.

RYHMING SLANG

A possible origin of the song comes from Cockney rhyming slang. The slang started in London’s East End. It is a way to obscure the meaning of one’s words from those who don’t know the slang.

The belief is based on the third verse of an original British version of the song.

[i] Up and down the city road,

In and out the Eagle,

That’s the way the money goes.

Pop goes the weasel.

In Cockney ‘pop’ means to pawn and ‘weasel’ may have come from ‘weasel and stoat’ which could mean coat. There is an Eagle pub in London. Therefore, the song, or at least this verse, is about selling one’s coat for money in the pub.

GOT TO GO!

One theory, based on an original American version of the song, is that the weasel simply hurried away. For whatever reason the weasel must suddenly leave or quickly ‘pop off’ somewhere.

BEHAVIOUR

Another possibility of why the weasel pops is weasel behavior. Weasels do pop their heads up when they feel disturbed. It’s possible the rhyme, or the name of the dance that goes with the tune, came from observing this behavior.

SPINNING WHEEL

The weasel on a spinning wheel pops when the spinner has made a skein of yarn. A skein is 80 yards and should take roughly 40 revolutions to make. The mechanism known as the weasel is designed to make a pop after every 40 turns of the wheel.

CONCLUSION

From dancing to pubs to spinning wheels, there are several explanations of why Pop Goes The Weasel was created. We may never know for certain if there is a hidden meaning behind the words, or Pop Goes The Weasel is a simple nonsense song. This nursery rhyme is a mystery hidden in plain sight.

[i] The History and Origins of Nursery Rhymes in Britain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2019, from https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/More-Nursery-Rhymes/.

Everyone has used or at least seen a spoon. They’re a part of everyday life, yet not many people know where they came from. It’s time to find out. Spoons are useful utensils for both eating and cooking, but they can be more than that.

ORIGINS

The origin of the spoon is difficult to nail down. The precise date is unknown because spoon-like instruments have been used since Palaeolithic times. No one knows when the first handled spoon was used, but Archeological findings suggest spoons were used for religious and ornamental purposes as early as 1000 BC.

Ancient humans used seashells and bits of rock or wood to scoop up liquids. In fact, the English word spoon comes from the Old English word spon, meaning chip, or wooden splinters. At some point someone added a handle to these simple instruments, turning them into what we would recognize as eating utensils.

THE SPOON THROUGHOUT HISTORY

The use and design of the spoon was different in different cultures as time marched on. In Egypt the spoons were elaborate, carved out of slate, ivory, wood or flint and decorated with hieroglyphs and intricate drawings. For eating, the wooden spoon was favoured because of the availability and lower price of wood.

Spoons on a cutting board. — Photograph by Kirsten Jerry.

Spoons began to be made out of bronze and silver for the upper class in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In the Middle ages, the wealthy were still the only ones using metal spoons.

King Edward I’s wardrobe itinerary includes a spoon. Yes, his wardrobe! Some spoons were ornamental and used in ceremonies as a sign of one’s prosperity. For example, before his coronation every British king went to a ceremony where he was anointed by a special spoon.

The design of the eating utensil we now recognize as the spoon was completed through several design changes in the Renaissance, Baroque and Victorian eras. By the 18^th century the humble spoon had received the look we see today.

TYPES OF SPOONS

There are many types of spoons with many different uses. Some are used for eating, others for measuring and so on. A few types of spoons are:

Souvenir spoons — Photograph by Kirsten Jerry.

Grapefruit spoon – used for sectioning and scooping a grapefruit.
Souvenir spoon – Decorated to represent a time, place, or event. These are collectable and ornamental.
Teaspoon – usually used as a measurement/ measuring tool and for stirring.
Serving Spoon – Used for serving food.
Ladle – Used for serving liquid foods such as soup or stew.
Iced-Tea Spoon – used for mixing sugar and flavours into iced tea.
Long Drink Spoon – used for stirring drinks in a tall (or long) glass.
Marrow Spoon – used for getting marrow out of bones.
Lovespoon – a decorative traditional Welsh gift given to a soon-to-bride by her suitor.
And so many more.

CONCLUSION

Ladle and spoons — Photograph by Kirsten Jerry.

From its origins as shells, and bits of wood or rock the spoon has become a useful and versatile tool. It’s an eating utensil, a measuring tool, a gift, a souvenir, and a part of the everyday history of human beings.