(no subject)
so at least 4 times a day, after i've introduced myself as Mary people thinking they are clever ask, "mary mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?"
Instead of giving these people death stares I decided to look up the rest of that stupid rhyme so I could answer them and make they feel really stupid.
Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
I came across way funnier information though.
The origins of this rhyme came from Bloody Mary. Queen Mary was a Catholic and the garden represents graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared follow a different faith. The silver bells and cockle shells referred to instruments of torture. The 'silver bells' were thumbscrews which crushed the thumb between two hard surfaces by the tightening a screw. The 'cockleshells' were instruments of torture which were attached to the genitals.
So now when people ask me how my garden grows i'll just cockle-shell them.
Instead of giving these people death stares I decided to look up the rest of that stupid rhyme so I could answer them and make they feel really stupid.
Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
I came across way funnier information though.
The origins of this rhyme came from Bloody Mary. Queen Mary was a Catholic and the garden represents graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared follow a different faith. The silver bells and cockle shells referred to instruments of torture. The 'silver bells' were thumbscrews which crushed the thumb between two hard surfaces by the tightening a screw. The 'cockleshells' were instruments of torture which were attached to the genitals.
So now when people ask me how my garden grows i'll just cockle-shell them.