Yes I know it's not yet Wednesday but this is the prompt for the 100 word challenge this week. Just that - Wednesday. A good choice when you think about it. We've got Sunday as the Sabbath Day (or Saturday where I live), Monday starts the week, Thank God it's Friday, Tuesday (used as a pretty girl's name) is when you're just getting into your stride and by Thursday you're almost home and dry. But Wednesday? Well precisely. Do pop over to Julia's to read more entries.
Wednesday's Child
In our Nursery Rhymes book, Wednesday's child was full of woe. I knew why. I was Wednesday's child. There are two little fairy-folk standing with Wednesday's child who were my twin baby siblings. QED.
There are four girls in this rhyme who are wearing pretty dresses and have ribbons in their long hair. Wednesday isn't allowed long hair and her Mummy makes her wear trousers. She looks like a boy.
Years later I found out that I had actually been born on Tuesday. "What made you think you were born on Wednesday?" I answered my mother honestly, "because I looked like a boy."
Picture from Hilda Boswell's Treasury Of Nursery Rhymes.
Awww, it's funny how children take things so literally isn't it. I always felt sorry for the Wednesday children "full of woe".
ReplyDeleteOf course it is just a rhyme (I am a Tuesday and am one of the clumsiest people I know!!)
Love your interpretation. I thought of this rhyme but am glad I didn't do it as you have done a cracking job :)
I love the honesty and simple logic of children. You took a very interesting angle with this post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna and Healthfulmomma - it's absolutely true.
ReplyDeleteI loved this one - it really made me laugh! Children do hold such funny beliefs. It was always Thursday's Child I felt sorry for. I think I just assumed Wednesday's Child would cheer up eventually. but I always wondered where and why Thursday's child had to go.
ReplyDeleteI was always excited for Thursday's child. My cousins emmigrated when I was quite young - one family to Israel and one family to Australia, so I though travel was very exciting.
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteThe irrefutable logic of a child :-)
I know, I was absolutely convinced that picture of Wednesday's child was us.
DeleteAhh, that's a nice insight into the thought process of a child. I could never understand how Thursday's child had "far to go". Go? Go where??
ReplyDeleteTravel, son - the world is your oyster.
DeleteI was Saturday's child, who has to work hard for a living *sigh*. Such is the hand that fate deals you eh? But how interesting that thinking you were born on a certain day can change your outlook on life! Really interesting take on this prompt.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a bit sad that I thought I was represented by the sad one without the pretty clothes and long hair. It was the 1960s - pixie haircuts and slacks for girls, but my picture books all showed traaditional girls in flowing skirts.
DeleteFun to read - nice anecdote!
ReplyDeleteYeah, nice anecdote now but when I was little I spent the whole time with my mother's scarves tired round my head like long hair.
DeleteAahh! That's really sweet! That is so typical of how kid's think, and so often the parent has no idea! When you're grown up, you can laugh about it, but at the time it really matters!
ReplyDeleteI always think it's a shame that kids don't know that the boundaries can sometimes be changed. I wish I'd known that if I refused to wear trousers she would have had to let me wear skirts and dresses more.
DeleteBrilliant and lovely to be reminded of the rhyme! I never knew as a child what day I was born on so I used to pretend to myself that I was Sunday! When as an adult I eventually found out I'm Thursday I thought huh I'm going nowhere - career wise - but I suppose I have travelled a bit so its cool.
ReplyDeleteLucid gypsy.
It's all cool once you're old enough to know it doesn't make any difference wht day you're born on.
DeleteOh my goodness what damage can be done from books! I was a Saturday I think but I do know I arrived in time for school!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, not books I think - mothers who don't listen to their child's preferences and heed them.
DeleteAwww Midlife. Cheer up! You're not Wednesday after all. But very nicely written. I hope you weren't always a sad little girl. I used to have really long tresses and begged to have them cut off. And was so happy with my Beatles hair cut at the age of 8 - even though it didn't suit me at all. I too believed in the rhyme for years and remember trying to make fact meet fiction for me and my siblings. Positive or negative it was the printed word - it had to be true.
ReplyDeleteSo what day were you born? I'm now curious to know if you were trying to be prettier, more graceful, more loving and giving or bonny and blythe and good and gay.
DeleteAww....sweet! I'm a Wednesday child and always hated that rhyme!! It's NOT true. Funny thing is My hubby is a Wednesday child too....and guess what day our son was born on? Yup....Wednesday!!
ReplyDeletexx Jazzy
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deletere-writing because of naughty typo. What I said was: I totally agree - there's nothing woeful about your household.
DeleteI am a Wednesday's child and have been fighting the woeful feelings ever since :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say to that Blue Sky, except that we don't really believe the rhyme. I hope those woeful feeling are starting to feel unwelcome. Hugs xxx
DeleteGSussex
ReplyDeleteA different take and fun to read! I liked the child's thought processes / observations . . .
Thnaks GSussex - I'm not so clever to have thought it up, I really remember this being the case.
Delete