NATIONAL POP GOES THE WEASEL DAY
On June 14th each year, National Pop Goes the Weasel Day celebrates a nursery rhyme children have been singing for more than 300 years. On this day, people dig back into their memories to the nursery rhymes they learned as children and celebrate the day singing “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
#NationalPopGoesTheWeaselDay
The origins of this nursery rhyme are believed to date back to the 1700s.
The original version went as such:
Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Up and down the City road,
In and out the Eagle,
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
“The Eagle”, in the second verse, may refer to The Eagle freehold pub, which was once at the corner of Shepherdess Walk and City Road in London. In 1825 the pub was as a music house. Then, in 1901, it was demolished and rebuilt once more into a public house. It bears a plaque with this version of “Pop Goes the Weasel,” along with the history of the pub.
An alternative version:
A penny for a spool of thread,
A penny for a needle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
In this version, the weasel is interpreted as being a shuttle or bobbin used by silk weavers and being pawned in a similar way. Possibly as the suits or jackets owned by the Cockneys.
Of course, there are many different versions of this nursery rhyme. All are fun, and especially have the same catchy tune.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL POP GOES THE WEASEL
Recite the nursery rhyme or teach it to a new generation. You can also download, print, and color the Pop Goes the Weasel Coloring page. Use #NationalPopGoesTheWeaselDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL POP GOES THE WEASEL DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar is researching the origins of this nursery rhyme holiday.
