Jack Be Nimble Article Index for
Jack Be
Shopping
Nimble
Website Links For
Jack
 

Information About

Jack Be Nimble




's illustrations for ''Jack Be Nimble'', from a 1901 edition of Mother Goose ]]

''Jack Be Nimble'' is a 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.

It is also suggested that "jumping over a Candlestick " was a way of fortelling the future. If the candle stayed lit, good luck should follow, where as if he went out, bad luck would follow.


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.


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.


REFERENCES IN POPULAR CULTURE


  • The lyrics of the '' refer to the nursery rhyme twice. In the first Refrain they are: "Jack is nimble, Jack is quick / Pick your pocket, turn a trick", while in the second: "Jack be nimble, Jack be slick / Take the money, get out quick".

  • In the '', There is an NPC named Jakben Imbel.

  • An episode of the TV Show "Profiler" names " Jack be nimble, Jack be quick ".

  • In the song American Pie by singer Don Maclean there is a line that goes "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat upon a candlestick, because fire is the devils only friend"