‘Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water..’
Coswise is singing happily in the back of the car on the post-work daughter collection run – a round trip of 13 miles because, although I work at home, each daughter has her own childminder 6.5 miles apart. The reasons for this are complex, sensitive and probably don’t bear too much scrutiny in the cold light of a non-post-natal day.
‘Muuuuuummy, why did Jack fall down?’
‘Probably because the grass was wet’
‘Why did Jill fall down?’
‘Well for the same reason. Jack fell first and she fell down afterwards.’
‘Why did they use vinegar and brown paper?’
I’m delighted she’s asking such good questions. Explain that this is ancient medicine and that when rhyme was written there weren’t plasters and Savlon.
‘Why did they go up the hiiiiill?’
‘Well, they were fetching water. When the song was written lots of people didn’t have water in their houses, they didn’t have taps, so they had to go to a well to fetch water. A well is a big hole in the ground where there is water.’
‘Where was the well?’
‘At the top of the hill.’ I’m pleased that she seems to have absorbed the well info.
‘Muuuummy, who were Jack and Jill?’
Still good questions. She is bright for three.
‘I don’t know.’ She needs to learn it’s OK not to know everything..
‘Where did they live?’
‘Sussex’.
‘Why did they fall down the well?’
Discussion of whether they fell down the well or the hill, how they got out and who rescued them, followed by discussion of whether they collected the water in a bucket or a watering can. She is so good at engaging with things. She’s really taking on board my answers too…
‘Muuuuuuuuummyyyyyyyyyy, why did Jack fall down?’
Ah.
‘Because he was too proud sweetie’.
