I have fond memories as a kid imagining myself within the confines of some of my favorite stories. Living amongst the old woman and all her children in the shoe, accompanying James as he traveled in his giant peach and, if I'm being honest, I was also a member of the fabled Babysitters Club. So as I read nightly to my three girls I can't help but relive some of those memories. Lately, it's been nursery rhymes and fairy tales. I love reading them and find myself over-thinking some of the craziness you can find if you read between the lines. The historical undertones (Georgie Porgy), the grim realities (Ring Around the Rosie), and of course the love stories (Bobby Shaftoe). Out of pure habit I find myself, along with my kids, emerged within the stories. This is one of my favorites:
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe --
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"
The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea --
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish --
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam --
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea --
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
-Eugene Field
After reading this the other night I got to thinking that maybe I should and recreate my own version of Wynken, Blynken and Nod. I have been wanting to start photo series of some sort, and this was right up my alley. I love books, photography and editing. Perfect. So I created my first rendition of one of my favorite tales with my three girls at the helm:
I would like to try and recreate Little Miss Muffet and perhaps Sing a Song of Sixpence next. What are some of your favorite nursery rhymes or fairy tales? Please share with me some you recall from childhood or that you love to read to your kids and grandkids. I would be interested to see what everyone else enjoys and maybe even put them on my recreation list!
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Alishia Osborn can be contacted via her photography blog: www.justleesha.com
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