88 Kings and Queens: Supplemental Guide 4A | Sing a Song of Sixpence
A pocket full of rye,
[Explain that rye is a grain, similar to wheat.]
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
[Tell students that long ago in England, putting birds in a pie was a fancy way to
celebrate a special occasion.]
Now wasn’t that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
[Explain that a dainty dish is food that looks nice and fancy. Dainty also means
small and pretty.]
Show image 5A-2: King counting and queen eating
The king was in his counting house
Counting out his money;
[Have a student point to all the gold around the king. Then ask students, “Is this
a rich king or a poor king? Which other king did you hear a story about who
also really liked gold?”]
- King Midas
The queen was in the parlour,
[Define that a parlour is a fancy room inside a house where people can sit and
talk.]
Eating bread and honey.
Show image 5A-3: Maid
The maid was in the garden,
[Remind students that a maid is a female helper who does housework. Here
she is hanging up the clothes she has washed so they can dry outside.]
Hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird
And pecked at her toes!