Jack Be Nimble

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This article is about the nursery rhyme. For the 1993 film, see Jack Be Nimble (Film)
William Wallace Denslow's illustrations for Jack Be Nimble, from a 1901 edition of Mother Goose
William Wallace Denslow's illustrations for Jack Be Nimble, from a 1901 edition of Mother Goose
Jack is a dog, in Denslow's version
Jack is a dog, in Denslow's version

Jack Be Nimble is a nursery rhyme. Suggestions about its origins are: it is related to a marriage ceremony; it celebrates the escapes of a pirate; or it is about a religious choice which could have led to burning at the stake. (2nd verse: Zelo.com, Virtual Teacher Aide and others claim it's trad.)

Another tradition holds that the Jack be Nimble nursery rhyme refers to the Yellow Fever (also called the yellow jack fever), which was believed to be kept at bay by flames. Candles would be put at the bedsides of children to keep the fever away.

[edit] Traditional Version

Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick.
Jack jumped high,
Jack jumped low,
Jack jumped over and burned his toe.

[edit] Alternate Versions

There is an alternate version of the 2nd verse

If Jack had jumped a little higher
He wouldn't have caught his pants on fire

In urban culture, pants is sometimes replaced with "ass"

On the song "American Pie" by folk rock artist Don McLean, there's the line "So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candlestick" referring to the rhyme and to the Rolling Stones's song "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

Interestingly, there is another version of the rhyme that is little-known, but more gender-friendly:

Jack be nimble,
Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick.
Jill be nimble,
Jump it too,
If Jack can do it, so can you.

In one episode of Animaniacs, Dot recites the poem Jack be Nimble and ending with "...and burned his butt."

[edit] References in Popular Culture