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People left 'haunted' after realising what Humpty Dumpty actually is

Home> Life> True Life

Updated 11:00 20 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 16:02 19 Aug 2024 GMT+1

People left 'haunted' after realising what Humpty Dumpty actually is

The age-old nursery rhyme reportedly has a more sinister backstory than people may have realised

Rhianna Benson

Rhianna Benson

As children, we take for granted that each nursery rhyme sung to us by a doting parent tells a cheerful tale of sweet camaraderie.

Often, however, it isn't until we reach adulthood that we realise that many of these childhood melodies are actually about different subjects entirely.

And in some cases, nursery rhymes have been found to have a rather sinister backstory, creeping around behind the scenes.

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One of these - as recently discovered by many horrified adults - is 'Humpty Dumpty', with the revelation having left some listeners 'haunted'.

'Humpty' was famously depicted in a Lewis Carroll novel. (Andrew_Howe/Getty)
'Humpty' was famously depicted in a Lewis Carroll novel. (Andrew_Howe/Getty)

Now, as a child, you may have believed that this four-line rhyme described an quaint little anthropomorphic egg.

That's because in many accompanying children's books, he is depicted as so, with two bright eyes, a bald head and a wide smile, often donning a suit, open-neck shirt and tie.

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This is how the character is described in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland sequel, Alice Through The Looking Glass, one of the first places he is described.

For those who haven't heard it in a while, let's have a little reminder as to how the nostalgic rhyme - which dates back to late 18th century England - actually goes.

The lyrics read: "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall / Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

"All the king's horses and all the king's men / Couldn't put Humpty together again."

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As such, many children believe the song tells the story of an egg that sadly shattered after sitting dangerous on the edge of a wall.

Who was the egg-shaped character really inspired by? (PANKAJ JAGYA/Getty)
Who was the egg-shaped character really inspired by? (PANKAJ JAGYA/Getty)

What you may notice, however, upon reading the rhyme all over again, is that there is actually no mention of Humpty being an egg at all...

Anyone else got chills?

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But if not a cartoon egg, then who is the inspiration for Humpty Dumpty, who famously shattered into pieces to such an extent that he couldn't be saved?

Such is the question raised by many social media users, many of whom seemingly can't quite comprehend that they've been wrong about his identity this whole time.

One begged: "Oh my goodness, how did I not realize this?"

"This has been haunting me for years," another confessed.

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A third admitted: "These are the kinds of things that keep me up at night."

Someone else added: "My mind has been blown."

When it comes to who - or in some cases, what - the character was inspired by, however, there are several theories that people have developed through the years.

There are several theories about 'Humpty Dumpty's' origins. (TRAVELARIUM/Getty)
There are several theories about 'Humpty Dumpty's' origins. (TRAVELARIUM/Getty)

According to Jane Etheridge - Vice Chair of Federation of Children's Book Groups - 'Humpty' actually describes a canon, not a man, or an egg.

"It's believed to be Roundhead propaganda about a Royalist cannon," she explained.

I mean, it could be plausible.

After all, during the English Civil War of the 17th century, when Colchester was under siege, a large canon from the attacking side managed to destroy the wall that the English canon was positioned on, and was unable to be rebuilt.

While some believe that the 'Humpty Dumpty' could represent Richard III, who, with his men, was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Interesting...

Featured Image Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Topics: Life, Parenting, Music

Rhianna Benson
Rhianna Benson

Rhianna is an Entertainment Journalist at LADbible Group, working across LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla. She has a Masters in News Journalism from the University of Salford and a Masters in Ancient History from the University of Edinburgh. She previously worked as a Celebrity Reporter for OK! and New Magazines, and as a TV Writer for Reach PLC.

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@rhiannaBjourno

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