See Saw Margery Daw

Children chant "See Saw Margery Daw" in time with the up-and-down of a see-saw, but the rhythm came first from a different kind of sawing: two-man teams pulling a great saw back and forth, who sang to keep their strokes together.

Origins

The modern version of the rhyme was first published around 1765 in Mother Goose's Melody. However, the phrasing "see saw" and references to Margery Daw appear in literature much earlier. In Richard Brome's 1640 play The Antipodes, a character refers to sawyers working with the chant "see saw sacke a downe," indicating it was originally used as a rhythmic work song. Sawyers operating large two-person saws would sing to coordinate their pulling and pushing motions.

Meaning & Interpretation

The lyrics tell the story of Johnny, a young apprentice who gets a new master because he cannot work fast enough. Johnny earns only a penny a day, a tiny sum that reflects the harsh economic realities and low wages of young laborers in historic Britain.

The character of Margery Daw is generally believed to be fictional, created to rhyme with "seesaw." In Scots dialect, the word "daw" refers to an untidy or lazy person. An older, alternative version of the rhyme depicts Margery Daw as a lazy woman who sold her bed to sleep on dirty straw, highlighting the moral message against laziness.

What is the origin of See Saw Margery Daw?

The rhyme likely originated as a rhythmic work song for sawyers to help coordinate their movements. Its modern printed form first appeared in Mother Goose's Melody around 1765.

Who is Margery Daw in the nursery rhyme?

Margery Daw is a fictional character, though her name is derived from the Scots word "daw," which historically referred to an untidy or lazy person.