Taffy was a Welshman

"Taffy Was a Welshman" is a controversial English nursery rhyme first recorded around 1780 in Nancy Cock's Pretty Song Book, though a related rhyme may have appeared as early as 1744. The term "Taffy" is a nickname for a Welshman, believed to derive from the common Welsh name "Dafydd" (the Welsh form of David) and the River Taff that flows through Cardiff. The rhyme reflects long-standing ethnic prejudices and cultural rivalries between the English and Welsh, particularly following the 13th-century conquest of Wales, as it perpetuates negative stereotypes of Welsh people as dishonest. It was historically sung in English counties bordering Wales on Saint David's Day, often accompanied by effigies of Welshmen wearing leeks. Some scholars have linked the thievery theme to Celtic mythology, specifically to Amaethon, the Welsh God of Agriculture, who was known for stealing from Arawn, the Lord of the Otherworld. The rhyme's popularity declined in the 20th century as its offensive nature became more widely recognized.