Fall brings with it the charm of pumpkin patches and the comforting aroma of pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkins, quintessential symbols of autumn, also curiously feature in the classic nursery rhyme, “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater.” The familiar verses often recited to children go:
“Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn’t keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.
Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had another and didn’t love her;
Peter learned to read and spell,
And then he loved her very well.”
But beneath this seemingly innocent rhyme lie layers of intriguing origins and unsettling interpretations, many hinting at sinister undertones. Let’s delve into the history of “Peter Pumpkin Eater” and explore the possible, often dark, meanings woven into its verses.
From English Roots to American Shores
While pumpkins are strongly associated with American autumn, the “Peter Pumpkin Eater” rhyme surprisingly traces its roots back to England. Folklore authorities Iona and Peter Opie pinpoint its earliest documented appearance in Noel Turner’s Infant institutes, part the first. Or, a nurserical essay on the poetry, lyric and allegorical of the earlier ages, published in London in 1797. Pumpkins, though not native to the UK, had been introduced in the 16th century, making their presence in the rhyme plausible even in its early English iterations.
Across the Atlantic, the rhyme surfaced in the United States in a Mother Goose collection published by Munroe & Francis sometime between 1824 and 1827. Interestingly, a Scottish variant, published in 1868, omits pumpkins entirely, offering a starkly different, and arguably darker, imagery:
“Peter, my neeper,
Had a wife,
And he couldna’ keep her.
He pat her i’ the wa’,
And lat a’ the mice eat her.”
Here, “neeper” signifies “neighbor” in Scots, “wife” refers to a woman, and “i’ the wa’” means “in the wall.” This Scottish version leaves little room for interpretation – Peter murders the woman and entombs her within a wall to be consumed by mice.
Another variation, also devoid of gourds, emerges with the lyrics:
“Eeper Weeper, chimney sweeper,
Had a wife and could not keep her;
Had another, did not love her,
Up the chimney he did shove her—
Please turn over my head.”
This version, dating back to the early 20th century, sometimes begins as “Eaver Weaver.” The Opies note it was used in children’s skipping games, with additional lines added if the skipper jumped successfully through the rhyme. A chimney sweeper adaptation also functioned as a counting rhyme, similar to “Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo.”
Dark Theories Behind the Pumpkin Shell
The seemingly innocuous explanation for “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater” often given to children is that Peter’s wife is prone to running away, hence the pumpkin shell serves as a quirky way to keep her in place. However, a closer look reveals more unsettling, adult interpretations.
The most prevalent darker theory suggests the wife was unfaithful – some speculate she was a sex worker – provoking Peter to murder her and conceal her body inside a hollowed-out pumpkin. A less gruesome, though still disturbing, theory posits the “pumpkin shell” as a euphemism for a chastity belt. In this interpretation, Peter confines his wife in a chastity belt to prevent infidelity.
The alternate versions of the rhyme amplify the murderous themes. One theory connects the “wife in the wall” Scottish version to the historical demise of Maud de Braose in the early 13th century. Maud, wife of William de Braose, initially a favorite of King John of England, fell from royal grace. When King John demanded one of her sons as hostage, Maud refused, citing the King’s murder of his own nephew. In retaliation, King John imprisoned Maud and her son in Corfe Castle in 1210.
King John’s cruelty escalated as he ordered them sealed in a room with only meager rations of wheat and raw meat. After 11 days, their prison was opened, revealing both mother and son starved to death. Gruesome accounts even suggest Maud resorted to cannibalizing her son’s cheeks in a desperate attempt to survive.
The appalling treatment of Maud and her son might have even influenced the Magna Carta. Clause 39 of the Magna Carta, stating that imprisonment or exile should only be imposed through “the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land,” may have been inspired by this event. However, Magna Carta’s protections were limited to noble men, excluding Maud from its provisions even if it predated her death.
“Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater,” therefore, is more than just a whimsical nursery rhyme. It’s a verse with deep roots in history and folklore, open to interpretations ranging from lighthearted domestic disputes to chilling tales of murder and oppression. Its enduring appeal perhaps lies in this very ambiguity, allowing each generation to find their own meaning within its pumpkin-shelled verses.
