Hickory Dickory's Clock Dock

From the “What-on-earth-was-that-in-aid-of?’ files…

Okay. How many of those reading haven’t heard of Hickory Dickory Dock?

Yep. I thought so.

I recited/sang it ad infinitum/ad nauseam when I was a youngster.

I kid you not.

I loved it!

Even though I really couldn’t understand it.

We’re talking about a little mouse running repeatedly up a clock, then, when said clock strikes the hours of: one, two, three, etc., the mouse runs down.

First of all, doesn’t that mouse have anything better to do? I mean I’ve heard of clock-watching, but isn’t this taking it to a whole new level?

And there’s the ‘repeating an action and expecting a different result’.

Isn’t that the very definition of insanity?

Well that was my understanding.

What are your thoughts?

Yes, I know it’s a mouse. And yes, I know they have very small brains and really can’t be held accountable for their actions.

Pretty poor excuse.

And what is it hoping to find at the clock top? A spectacular view?

Because, let’s face it, if the views aren’t stellar, I’m not climbing anything!

And a view would have to be truly spectacular to tempt one to at-tempt a possibly perilous and certainly sweaty and laborious climb more than once! Right?

I just had a thought. Mice will go almost anywhere if there’s food involved. (I am totally with them on this…) What if there’s food up there?

I mean, what if that’s where the clock keeps his lunch?

Go with me on this.

It would be safe (well, discounting the whole ‘recurring mouse’ erm…thingy.)

Think about it. Mr. H D Clock assumes (reasonably) that, barring someone actually seeing him put his lunch there, no one would ever guess. Makes total sense.

Okay, okay. Clocks don’t pack a lunch. And they’d certainly be frowned upon if they ever stopped to actually…you know…eat.

And then the lack of internal organs.

So we’re stuck with a little mouse who decides every hour (on the hour) to run up a clock. Then, frightened by the chimes, runs down again.

I think we need a do-over (Oops. Not a 27!):

Hickory Dickory Dock,

Two Mice ran up the clock.

The clock struck one.

The other ran away…

I admit, I’m totally with the clock on this one.

Seriously:

The rhyme is thought to have originated as a counting-out rhyme. Cumbric shepherds in the nineteenth century used the numbers Hevera (8), Devera (9) and Dick (10).

Also:

The Exeter Cathedral astronomical clock has a small hole in the door below the face for the resident cat to hunt mice.

Take that, Mr. Mouse!

Today’s post is a word challenge! 

Each month Karen, Mimi or I choose a number between 12 and 50 and the others craft a post using that number of words one or multiple times.

This month’s number is: 27

It was chosen by Karen of Baking in a Tornado!

Now go and see what my friends have created!

Baking In ATornado

Messymimi’sMeanderings