Jack Be Nimble
Traditional English Nursery Rhyme
Jack Be Nimble is a traditional English nursery rhyme and children's verse. The rhyme was first recorded in the early nineteenth century and later appeared in numerous collections of nursery rhymes and Mother Goose stories.The rhyme refers to jumping over a candlestick, which was once a traditional game and amusement. Some historical accounts describe candle-jumping as a form of fortune-telling or a test of agility in which the candle flame was not to be extinguished.
The rhyme became especially well known through nineteenth-century printed collections and illustrated editions, including those by American illustrator William Wallace Denslow.
Related Scottish Country Dances
Jack Be NimbleJack Be Nimble
Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over
the candlestick.
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over
the candlestick.
William Wallace Denslow's Illustrations For Jack Be Nimble, From An Edition Of Mother Goose, c. 1901
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Text from this original Jack Be Nimble article on Wikipedia.
Image from William Wallace Denslow, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
