The first nursery rhyme collection to be printed was Tommy Thumb's Song Book, around 1744. So my question is: Why has it taken nearly 300 years for people to suggest sanitising the rhymes? Answers on ...

Hidden away in the familiar lyrics of nursery rhymes, are tales of historical woe ... whilst ‘we all fall down’ might be a euphemism for death. On the other hand, Ring-a-ring-o’-roses ...