The North Wind

Image from the blog: Nursery Rhymes Online

I used to have a big picture book of nursery rhymes when I was a child. It was a gift from my Grandparents on holiday season and when I received it, I was shocked that they would get a big kid like me a book of kiddie rhymes. Truth be told, I ended up loving the book and read and re-read it many times. The illustrations were bright and cheery and most of what I'd discredited as nursery rhymes were really a quite interesting collection of poems. This morning while clearing the walk of the slush and snow and being blown all over the road by the wind while trying to take my dog for a walk, I remembered the poem/rhyme "The North Wind doth Blow" by heart. Here is a excerpt on the history for the rhyme as well as the verse. Today this rhyme captured the rainy, chilly, slushy morning that I experienced. While at one point turning my back to the gusting wind,I kept thinking - "I wish I were the robin in the warm barn, instead of our here in this wind and wet." Stay warm and dry on this wintry day, I know I'm headed towards a toasty barn as soon as possible.

The Robin' or 'The North Wind doth blow'?

This nursery rhyme is referred to as either the North Wind doth blow or The Robin. 'The North Wind doth blow' is British in its origins and believed to have originated in the 16th century history. 'The North Wind doth blow' uses the olde English word 'doth'. The purpose of the words to 'The North Wind doth blow' is to ensure that a child associates security with home whilst empathising with the plight of the robin. This therefore accounts for the confusion as to whether the poem should be called 'The North Wind doth blow' or the Robin.

The North wind doth blow

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.