The Real Mother Goose - Marilyn Papas
The Real Mother Goose
The tombstone of Mary Goose rests in The Old Granary Burial Ground in Boston, Mass. Tourists think this is the tombstone of Mother Goose. Elizabeth Goose is the real Mother Goose, however. I chose to show her claiming her rightful place in folkloric history in this illustration. She annoyed neighbors with her awful singing to her grandson, and her son in law printed up pamphlets of her songs of various rhymes to sell in town in 1719.
© Marilyn Papas, 2012
Baba Blacksheep
Based on "Ba Ba Black Sheep", this illustration shows a sweater maker trying to find some black wool for his next batch of sweaters. There in NYC's Central Park is none other than Baba Blacksheep on her old 10 speed bike with three bags of freshly shorn wool. She replies with the Greek greeting, "Yassou! Yassou!" instead of "yes, sir, yes, sir". Sheep Meadow is close by, and the happy sheep responds, "three baags full!"
© Marilyn Papas, 2012
Pease Porridge in the Pot
"Pease Porridge Hot" is a very old Mother Goose rhyme based on the many meals people made out of pease porridge to get by. I chose to show how in England in the late 16th century, sellers of pease porridge yelled out to passers by, " Hot grey pease and a suck of bacon". This was tied with a string and pulled away for the next customer to suck on to add flavor to the bland porridge. A child is hoping to name the puppy in the pot of porridge "Pease Porridge".
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