If All the Seas Were One Sea

This is a 'cumulative' rhyme that builds up a giant scenario only to resolve it with a big splash, envisioning all elements of a type (seas, trees, axes, and men) as single, colossal entities. The exact origins of this rhyme are largely unknown, though its structure is similar to other cumulative rhymes such as "If all the World Was Apple Pie," and it is believed to be associated with the French, English, and Dutch "Mother Goose" poetry tradition, which began with Charles Perrault's 1695 publication "Contes de ma mère l'Oye" (Tales of my Mother Goose). Its simple, repetitive, and imaginative format has made it well-suited for oral tradition among children and a popular playground rhyme for centuries. Illustrator Janina Domanska received Caldecott Honors in 1971 for her self-illustrated children's book based on this classic rhyme.