It’s no secret that the wholesome stories we know and love, like ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Peter Pan’, are actually derived from very dark and disturbing fairy tales. And when it comes to children’s nursery rhymes, their roots are also not so innocent.
Of course, a lot of the words and meanings have been changed over time, but there’s still plenty of blood, guts, gore, and witchcraft at their core. At Thrillvania Haunted House Park in Terrell, TX, we enjoy retelling these tales again and again, and we’d like to share them with you, too.
If you’re looking for fun and creepy ways to celebrate Halloween with your family, here are some of the scariest nursery rhymes of all time!
Three Blind Mice
The tale of the ‘Three Blind Mice’ is beloved by many for its gleeful charm, but the real story behind this classic nursery rhyme is anything but. In actuality, it’s a tale about three mice who have their tails chopped off by a farmer’s wife. The character of the wife was actually inspired by Queen Mary I, who goes down in history as “Bloody Mary” for her murderous reign.
The three blind mice symbolize the noblemen of that time period, who resented Queen Mary and her role in introducing Catholicism to England. Queen Mary would burn any of her opposition at the stake, which inspired the mice to have their tails chopped off with a butcher knife.
Next time you’re singing this one to your kids, you can feel good knowing that you’re also giving them a nice history lesson about England’s gruesome history, too!
Rock-A-Bye Baby
Of course, there’s already something eerie about the tale of a baby in a crib that’s perched on a the treetop. After all, it doesn’t sound too safe, and it ends with the baby and the crib falling down.
But of all the classic nursery rhymes, ‘Rock-a-Bye Baby’ is known to soothe children (and sometimes their parents) right into a peaceful slumber. Yet, this calm and lovely lullaby has a spooky origin straight out of a nightmare.
The story is supposedly about King James II and Mary of Modena stealing a baby. Desperate to have a Catholic heir to their throne, they made the stolen baby their own. So, in actuality, this little lullaby is about kidnapping and raising the baby to be a king with a fallen fate.
Ring Around the Rosie
Contrary to popular belief, ‘Ring Around the Rosie’ was not about children dancing happily around a rose bush. Instead, it was referring to the red, circular rash that was common with the bubonic plague.
During the earliest pandemics, it was widely believed that the disease spread through a peculiar, foul smell. This is why people carried around pockets of flowers and other scented things. So, the line “pocket full of posies” was not meant to create a rosy picture.
‘Ring Around the Rosie’ can actually pave the way for a lesson in the bubonic plague and what life was like centuries ago. Many nursery rhymes were born of disease, peril, and disaster. We sing them to our children now as fun little ways to pass the time, but the true stories behind them give gruesome glimpses into the past.
Sing the Creepiest Nursery Rhymes to Your Little Ones
Taking your kids trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins are always the epitome of Halloween. But if you’re looking for unique and educational ways to celebrate this year, sing these nursery rhymes to your kids — and tell the history, too.
Of course, nursery rhymes won’t always do it for those daring kids who love scary movies, action-packed adventures, and everything about Halloween. Families from all over Terrell, TX, and the Greater Dallas region travel to visit Thrillvania Haunted House Park every year. While our haunted house attractions aren’t meant for little ones, older kids can certainly enjoy the thrills that lurk around every corner. If you’re looking for an exhilarating way to immerse your child in Halloween this year, grab your tickets to Thrillvania today!