I’ve read that the King’s “Horses” doesn’t refer to animals…. it means his mounted troops.
IE, “He sent 40 men and 20 horses” means there were 40 foot soldiers and 20 knights on horseback.
In any case, the poem doesn’t say that Humpty Dumpty is an egg because it was a riddle…
You’re supposed to figure out what’s being described, and “an egg” is the answer!
By the nineteenth century, though, it was put to music, and became so familiar that the answer was well-known….
Sung to children, and printed in books as a nursery rhyme, it was illustrated with an egg, because everybody already knew the “secret”.
If you read the scenes with Humpty Dumpty in “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” he’s elusive about what he is, and even what words mean….
which is extra humorous to those who know he’s actually a riddle, so not meant to be clear.
Lots of old riddles list the attributes of something, or tell a fanciful tale about it, maybe in a humorous or somewhat misleading way, to make the guessing harder….
and you’re supposed to figure out what’s being described.
They’re puzzles, not jokes.
Check out a Victorian children’s book….
or even Gollum and Bilbo trading riddles, in "The Hobbit:
Charliegirl Premium Member about 5 years ago
At least his remains were put to good use.
wldhrsy2luv about 5 years ago
Mmm. Chocolate.
rekam Premium Member about 5 years ago
All the king’s men, hmm?
SHIVA about 5 years ago
The cake recipe called for eggs, and Humpty was Extra Large already.
jasonsnakelover about 5 years ago
Test
Gent about 5 years ago
Now that’s what I call a sweet farewell!
jasonsnakelover about 5 years ago
Why would the king’s horses be able to put humpty together again when they’re just animals?
Walrus Gumbo Premium Member about 5 years ago
Nowhere in the poem does it say that Humpty Dumpty is an egg!
JohnFarson19 about 5 years ago
“if I knew you were falling I’d have baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake…”
SusanSunshine Premium Member about 5 years ago
I’ve read that the King’s “Horses” doesn’t refer to animals…. it means his mounted troops.
IE, “He sent 40 men and 20 horses” means there were 40 foot soldiers and 20 knights on horseback.
In any case, the poem doesn’t say that Humpty Dumpty is an egg because it was a riddle…
You’re supposed to figure out what’s being described, and “an egg” is the answer!
By the nineteenth century, though, it was put to music, and became so familiar that the answer was well-known….
Sung to children, and printed in books as a nursery rhyme, it was illustrated with an egg, because everybody already knew the “secret”.
If you read the scenes with Humpty Dumpty in “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” he’s elusive about what he is, and even what words mean….
which is extra humorous to those who know he’s actually a riddle, so not meant to be clear.
Lots of old riddles list the attributes of something, or tell a fanciful tale about it, maybe in a humorous or somewhat misleading way, to make the guessing harder….
and you’re supposed to figure out what’s being described.
They’re puzzles, not jokes.
Check out a Victorian children’s book….
or even Gollum and Bilbo trading riddles, in "The Hobbit:
“Thirty white horses on a red hill,
First they champ,
Then they stamp,
Then they stand still."
(Teeth)
Zebrastripes about 5 years ago
What a crumby way to eulogize Humpty…all the kings men get a piece…..
about 5 years ago
This strip never ceases to crack me up.
aerilim about 5 years ago
Serves him right…
Diat60 about 5 years ago
RIP Humpty Dumpty – you were a good egg.
Indianapolis Smith about 5 years ago
Special Report - New evidence leads researchers to believe that Humpty Dumpty was PUSHED - Film at 11!
Bill The Nuke about 5 years ago
No wonder the King’s men didn’t want to put him together again!
chris_weaver about 5 years ago
Although he is no longer among the living, Humpty’s essence will always be within us!
Souris Voleur about 5 years ago
It’s a riddle, the answer to which is “an egg.”