Hickory Dickory Dock

Story

A traditional nursery rhyme about a mouse who runs up and down a clock.

Why we chose it

Hickory Dickory Dock was one of the nursery rhymes chosen by Helen Cooper for her mural in our much loved Time for Bed room, now recreated as part of Small Worlds.

Where it came from

Hickory Dickory Dock dates back to the 18^th century and versions can be found in Britain and America. It was probably used as a counting song or to teach time - or perhaps as a way of deciding who would go first like Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo.

Where it went next

The rhyme was published in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book in London in 1744. Since then it has appeared in numerous collections including Peter and Iona Opie’s The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes.

Associated stories

There are other well-known nursery rhyme mice like the Three Blind Mice.

Mice also appear in many stories and picture books for the very young, like The Tale of Two Bad Mice by Beatrix Potter, The Tale of the Castle Mice by Michael Bond and the Brambly Hedge stories by Jill Barklem.