Walt Disney - The Truth About Mother Goose (1/2) - 1957

Part 1 of 2.

In this memorable cartoon, the none-too-cheery stories behind well-known nursery rhymes are revealed. Each segment begins with an upbeat performance of the song, follows with a depiction of the historical inspiration, and concludes with a somehow less jolly rendition of the tune. It covers "Little Jack Horner", "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary", "London Bridge is Falling Down" with a clever contrast of amusing animation and serious narration.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Walt
• Disney
• Rarities
• Animation
• Cartoon
• 1957
• Truth
• Goose

[africanrebelrc]

Her final climb of the stairwell was creepy as hell.

[trippyhop]

It is accurate, though, because Mary Stuart was the Queen of Scotland, not England, like Blood Mary was (not to mention that Bloody Mary and Elizabeth were half-sisters, and Elizabeth and Mary Stuart were cousins). Mary Stuart was imprisoned and executed, also, not necessarily because of Elizabeth's jealousy, but because Mary Stuart had a strong following amongst Catholics in England, while Elizabeth supported her father's Church of England.

[shenloken2]

I find the origins of 'Mary Mary' quite interesting: even if Disney didn't fully portray it accurately.

I bet it would be really scary and very depressing if they decided to do the origins of 'Ring Around the Rosie.' I'm not sure how Disney would have portrayed The Black Death here.

[indielovesunicorns]

Mary Queen of Scots is one of my favorite historical figures. I really love the book Queen's Own Fool.

[Inkan1969]

@akissy I heard they were the severed heads of court women Mary thought were showing her up because they were prettier than her.

[Inkan1969]

Actually, I thought that the nursery rhyme was based on Bloody Mary instead? Can anyone confirm or debunk?

[Dhampir1987]

huh...interesting, the way mary is moving amongst the men of the court is the EXACT way katrina van tassle did in the icabod cartoon.

[dacianavamp]

I've been looking for this for years. I used to have a video cassette loaded with classic Disney cartoons like this, but it was lost over the years through several moves. (Such is military life.) Thank you so much for sharing this! (Now I can relive my best childhood nightmares! Ha ha!)

[Sorce473]

It always drives me a little crazy that Disney has Mary Stuart at Queen Elizabeth's court. They never met. Elizabeth had her arrested as soon as she came into England; the politics were just too dangerous. Elizabeth wasn't jealous, just politically minded.

[lilrayes22]

i dont know if i agree with the mary mary quite contrary one cuz i have read many historical litterature that states that marys garden was the graveyard and the siver bell, cockle shells and maid were all torture devices so in short, her graveyard garden is growing throught the murder of people through those devices

[akissy]

Watered down Mary, Mary rhyme. The pretty maids were, as far as I know, aborted babies.

[katehisandhugs]

Im only 13. How long ago did they show this on disney channel? I never saw any of the old disney cartoons when I was little.