The Crooked Man Poem

There was a crooked man, who walked a crooked mile. He found a crooked sixpence, upon a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat, who caught a crooked mouse, and they all lived together, in a little crooked house...but the crooked man was sad...and once he had a thought. Why should he be crooked, when others; they were not? Everything was worthless, he heaved a great big sigh, and went and found a rope, and tied it to the sky. Upon a chair he stood, his eyes were blank and dead, without another thought, he went and hung his head. Now the story's not yet over, for this tale is myth-ed and old, go hide under the cover...there's something not yet told. There once was a crooked man, who had a crooked smile, and if you lived his life, he'll send you through a trial. He lives for your tournament, makes it full of strife, and he won't be content...until you take your life.

The origin of the Nursery rhyme "There was a crooked man" is in British history The content of "There was a crooked man" poem have a basis in history. The origin of this poem originates from the English Stuart history of King Charles 1. The crooked man is reputed to be the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie. The General signed a Covenant securing religious and political freedom for Scotland. The 'crooked stile' referred to in "There was a crooked man" being the border between England and Scotland. 'They all lived together in a little crooked house' refers to the fact that the English and Scots had at last come to an agreement. The words reflect the times when there was great animosity between the English and the Scots. The word crooked is pronounced as 'crookED' the emphasis being placed upon the 'ED' in the word. This was common in olde England and many references can be found in this type of pronunciation in the works of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).