Mother Goose

Mother Goose is a legendary figure in children’s literature often credited with a vast array of nursery rhymes, songs, and stories passed down and published over centuries. Most famous for her nursery rhymes, her work has been compiled in various editions, which have captivated readers across generations.

The true identity and origin of Mother Goose remain a mystery. One popular American tale suggests she was a woman in 17th-century Boston, either Elizabeth Foster Goose or Mary Goose, who became known for her entertaining jingles for children. The story goes that her son-in-law, a publisher, printed her rhymes, giving rise to the Mother Goose legacy. However, this narrative is contested by literary historians who point to earlier French references to Mother Goose as mère l’oye or mère oye that date back to 1626. These earlier mentions, along with a French legend about King Robert II’s wife, who was known for telling captivating stories to children, suggest a much older origin, possibly as far back as the 10th century.

Charles Perrault is credited with the first official publication of a Mother Goose collection in 1697 with Contes de ma mère l'oye (approximately translated “Tales of my Mother Goose”). This collection became popular in France and was translated by Robert Samber into English in 1729 as Histories, or Tales of Passed Times by Mother Goose. With Morals.

John Newbery, an English publisher, further popularized Mother Goose in children’s literature by focusing on nursery rhymes in Mother Goose’s Melody; or, Sonnets for the Cradle (1781). This publication solidified Mother Goose’s association with children’s poetry and nursery rhymes.