Alphabe Thursday … A is for Apple Pie

We start again with A; so I thought I would look more closely at alphabet books and came across this nursery rhyme well known during the reign of Charles II.  In 1671 , John Eachard, an outspoken cleric quoted it in his book ‘Some observations upon the answer to an enquiry into the grounds & occasions of the contempt of the clergy’ It would seem preaching the gospels was not as easy as ABC!

It was considered in to be a good aid when teaching children to spell in the Coopers’ spelling book ‘The child’s new plaything’

Later in the century it featured often in the chapbook series; the usual title was the Tragical death of A, Apple Pye who was cut in pieces and eat by twenty-five gentlemen with whom all little people ought to be very well acquainted.  

The rhyme was a favourite for ABC instruction in the 19th century.  Kate Greenaway made a book of it, A, Apple Pie which is still reprinted.

A was an apple-pie;

B bit it,

C cut it,

D dealt it,

E eat it,

F fought for it,

G got it,

H had it,

I inspected it,

J jumped for it,

K kept it,

L longed for it,

M mourned for it,

N nodded at it,

O opened it,

P peeped in it,

Q quartered it,

R ran for it,

S stole it,

T took it,

U upset it,

V viewed it,

W wanted it,

X,Y,Z, and the ampersand

all wished for a piece in hand.