Little Miss Muffet
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Little Miss Muffet is a nursery rhyme. Like most such rhymes, its origins are unclear. Some claim it was written by Dr. Thomas Muffet, a 16th century English entomologist, for his step-daughters; others claim it refers to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was said to have been frightened by John Knox, a Scottish religious reformer in the 16th century. The latter explanation is doubted by most literary scholars, who note that stories linking folk tales or songs to political events are a common urban legend.
Little Miss Muffet did not appear in print until 1805, in a book titled "Songs for the Nursery".
Lyrics
- Little Miss Muffet
- Sat on a tuffet,
- Eating her curds and whey.
- Along came a spider,
- Who sat down beside her,
- And frightened Miss Muffet away!
It is not clear what is meant by a "tuffet" - it could be a small stool, or a tuft of earth and grass.