Behind The Pumpkin Eater’s Tale

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For Joseph May's 8 By 5 Poetry Contest

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater - Wikipedia

There’s a story rhyme from another time of a hidden crime - the made-up tale of marriage minus love. I bet this Peter, a “pumpkin eater,” was a wife beater. Some say that his wife led a cheating life, which caused Peter strife. He still had no right to lock her up tight, preventing her flight - In a pumpkin put? Her ashes with soot!

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Duke Beaufort

Date: 2/17/2025 11:58:00 AM

Andrea, the chastity belt interpretation seems to fit know that you mention it. Sounds cruel. The Ring around the Rosie rhyme doesn’t surprise me. I always thought the falling down meant death. Didn’t know a plague rash was called a Rosie. Flowers could ward off the odor of death. All fit for us kids!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 2/17/2025 3:20:00 PM

a funny story about Ring around the Rosie. My daughter for some reason was late for developing language and her speech was hard to understand at the beginning. she was going around saying ASSES ASSES all the time. I was mortified. Then one day I saw her with some little kids in a circle at Head Start. They were saying "Ashes Ashes, we all fall down." I heard her and everything clicked!

Duke Beaufort

Date: 2/16/2025 5:09:00 PM

Andrea, cute indeed and with a great message. No one has a right to lock up another person like that. All the images and questions you pose have great value and moral authority! Smiles!! Shows that there are many bad lessons in fables!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 2/17/2025 10:35:00 AM

Some nursery rhymes were moral lessons of their time. The pumpkin shell was actually used as a chastity belt, from what I read. others think the rhyme denotes her being killed and her ashes put into the pumpkin shell. do you know the story behind Ring Around the Rosie. It's very weird!!

Susan Lawrence

Date: 2/16/2025 8:21:00 AM

Dear Andrea, it’s been so long. I miss your poems. I miss your creative mind and you’re always unique take on things. Peter Peter .. a classic rewritten ! big hugs. Hope you’re smiling. Love Susan :)

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 2/16/2025 11:27:00 AM

Thanks, dear Susan. Did you know they used pumpkin shell as material also for chastity belts? A lot of nursery rhymes have such dark meanings!