Oranges and Lemons

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Oranges and Lemons is a nursery rhyme from London probably about the giving of fruits by the Church of St Clement Danes .

The church bells of St Clement Danes play oranges and lemons
Original English text   German translation

"Oranges and lemons", say the bells of St. Clement's
"You owe me five farthings", say the bells of St. Martin's
"When will you pay me?" say the bells of Old Bailey
"When I grow rich", say the bells of Shoreditch
"When will that be?" say the bells of Stepney
"I do not know", says the great bell of Bow
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Chip chop chip chop - The last man's dead.

 

"Oranges and lemons," say the bells of Saint Clement,
"you owe five quarter pennies," say the bells of St. Martin,
"When will you pay me?", The bells of Old Bailey ask,
"When I get rich," they say Bells of Shoreditch Church
"When should that be?" The bells of the Church in Stepney ask,
"I don't know," says the great bell of St. Mary le Bow
Here comes a candle to light your way to bed
And here comes the hangman to cut your head off!
Schnipp Schnapp Schnipp Schnapp - The last man is dead.

The plot reflects a dialogue between a creditor and a debtor . The latter bought oranges and lemons, but owes five farthings (quarter pennies). He wants to pay the debt when he gets rich, but can't say when it will be. Thereupon the believer loses patience and sends the executioner .

The plot of the nursery rhyme has a very serious historical background: in England in the 18th century, a purchase that was not paid for could definitely be viewed as theft, and theft could be punished with death. Such draconian penalties were deemed necessary to curb the crime rate that was escalating as a result of oppressive poverty . Stepney , Bow, and Shoreditch parishes named in the poem were all in the East End , London's most notorious slum. Old Bailey is the great Royal Court of Justice of London. St Clement Danes and St Martin-in-the-Fields are real central London churches, the latter being the traditional refuge for the poor and homeless.

Another version of the nursery rhyme includes even more rhyming puns with the names of London places of worship:

"Oranges and Lemons", say the bells of St. Clement's.,
"Bull's eyes and targets", say the bells of St. Margaret's.
"Brickbats and Tiles," say the bells of St. Giles.
"Halfpence and farthings," say the Bells of St. Martin's.
"Old shoes and slippers," say the bells of St. Peter's.
"Two sticks and an apple," say the bells of Whitechapel.
"Pokers and tonges" say the bells of St. John's.
"Kettles and pans," say the Bell's of St. Anns.
"Old Father Baldpate," say the slow bells of Aldgate.
"You owe me ten shillings", say the bells of St. Helen's.
"When will you pay me?" Say the Bells of Old Bailey.
"When I grow rich," say the bells of Shoreditch.
"Pray when will that be?" Say the Bells of Stepney.
"I do not know," say the great bell of Bow.
Here comes a candle to light you to bed.
chip chop - chip chop - tha last men's dead. ''

Use in literature

The rhyme is quoted in the novel 1984 as well as in the accompanying films and clarifies the past of the protagonist, who remembers the rhyme but does not (anymore) know the end. Different people gradually add a new part of the rhyme until finally the last part forms the end of the second part of the novel. The use of this rhyme symbolically stands for the almost complete obliteration of the past, as only a few people know it and with their death the rhyme, or the past, is lost forever.

He will also in the novel Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo used as an anticipation of the execution of the character Charlie ( Chip Chop, Chop Chip / The last man's dead )