It’s interesting that Ruby McKim decided to use the third verse of the Simple Simon rhyme for this quilt. She also used it a decade later in her Rhyme Land quilt (pattern available here). Many children are probably familiar with the first two verses, having to do with the Pie Man, but this verse is less well known.
Mother Goose Quiltie Pattern #6
Simple Simon went a-fishing
For to catch a whale;
But all the water he could find
Was in his mother’s pail.
Poor Simple Simon! He expects to catch a great big whale almost any minute. He has sat there a long time, but he will never get a bite. Whales do not swim around in wooden pails, and that is all that Simple Simon could find. If you will let him be a Quiltie, though, he will fish there as long as your quilt lasts.
Things have been a little hectic around here, so I didn’t manage to finish my square for this week. Hopefully by next week I’ll be back on track with two new blocks completed — Simple Simon and Jack Sprat.
Hi Martha. Hope you had a good 4th of July celebrations.
This block brings a similar poem in my country to mind. This illustration really makes one feel sorry for simple Simon.
Thank you for sharing.