Page 18 - eMuse Vol.9 No.06_Classical

To encourage poets to write more Australian Nursery Rhymes, in
August 1917 The Bulletin issued this challenge:
“Surely Australian nursery Rhymes are as important (nearly) as
Australian drama or fiction. This field has been almost entirely ne-
glected, in spite of a large and expectant public . . . At present we
have to give our Youngsters “Banbury Cross” and “Dick Whitting-
ton” and “I’ve been to London to see the Queen” — which are
quite out of place in this land of kangaroos, rabbits and politicians.
A guinea will be given for the best nursery rhyme written by an
Australian . . . No parodies will be accepted . . . Competitors need
not deliberately drag in Australian references or Australian colour
— an Australian kid wouldn’t. A good Australian nursery rhyme
may have no direct reference to Australian conditions, and yet may
be indubitably Australian in content. The Australian kid has a dif-
ferent outlook from that of the English kid; the sort of songs he
wants to sing will not be those that the English kid sings.”
The above brought a response of over 1,000 entries in six weeks.
That was quite impressive for a country with 5.9 million people.
Onions bunions, corns and crabs,
Whiskers, wheels and hansom cabs,
Beef ad bottles, beer and bones,
Give him a feed and end his groans
Norman Lindsay, “The Magic pudding (1918)
Some More Variations The fierce and frightful Bunyip
Lives in a lonely scrub,
And catches all the dirty boys
On Nursery Rhymes Who do not like their tub.
He has a rapid aeroplane
Steered by a flying fox,
To grab the naughty little girls
Who never darn their sox.
From “Twinkle Twinkle Southern Cross”
And many a boy who played the wag
compiled by Robert Holden. Above illustration from the cover. The fearsome Bunyip caught,
Note the lack of political correctness in these rhymes. And girls who would not do their task
Back to his den he brought.
Half-past bunny-time;
Possums by the moon; There in a dark and horrid pool
Tea and bread and honey time; He soaks the dirty boys,
Sleep time soon. And feeds small Bunyips on the girls
In spite of all their noise.
Furnley Maurice, “The Bay and Padie Book” (1917)
Jean MacPherson
An example of a powerful adult poem in Nursery rhyme format:
Most of us remember the English rhyme: “Rain rain go away . . .”
One year, two year, three year, four, The Australian version asks the rain to stay. . .
Comes a khaki gentleman knocking at the door;
Any little boys at home? Send them out to me, Rain! Rain!
To train them and to brain them i battles yet to be. Come down with you rain!
Five year, six year, seven year, eight, Don’t keep away any longer
Hurry up you little chaps, the captain’s at the gate. The holes are all dry
And Mummy will cry If you keep away any longer!
Furnley Maurice, “Eyes Of Vigilance” (1920)
Rain! Rain!
Give a nice little root to the bandicoot, You’ll get the cane
To the possum a sweet gum tree, If you stay away any longer!
And grass will do for the kangaroo, My Daddy will sigh,
But bread and milk for me. And the little lambs die
Thomas Gunn, Nursery Rhymes (1917) If you stay away any longer!

“Cac, cac, cackle,” said the old black hen, Rain! Rain!
“I’ve laid an egg, and it’s one in ten; Hear ducky rain,
Where have I laid it nobdy knows; Don’t stay away any longer!
But it’s safely hid from the bad black crows.” I’ll buy you a train
“Cac, cac, cackle,” said the old black hen, And a sweet silver chain,
“I’ve laid an egg, and it’s one in ten.” If you won’t stay away any longer!
Thomas Gunn, Nursery Rhymes (1917) G K Soward
18 eMuse May 2020