Chapter Most Christian King to Mount of Transfiguration of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(Dibdin wrote a pantomime entitled Mother Goose.)

Mother Hubbard, an old lady whose whole time and attention were taken up by her dog, who was most wilful; but the dame never lost her temper nor forgot her politeness. After running about all day, vainly endeavouring to supply Master Doggie—

The dame made a curtsey, the dog made a bow;
The dame said, “Your servant!” the dog said, “Bow, wow!”
   —A Nursery Tale in Rhyme.

This tale is comparatively modern, certainly subsequent to the introduction of clay pipes in the seventeenth century; for on one occasion the dame found her dog “smoking his pipe.” Probably it is not earlier than the middle of the eighteenth century, when smoking pipes had become pretty common. It may be a political skit, as so many of our nursery songs are, the “bull-dog” being William Pitt, and the dame the French, who tried to win him over, and even made a curtsey, but the “dog” cried Bow-wow!

Mother Hubberd, the supposed narrator of a tale called The Fox and the Ape, related to the poet Spenser to beguile the weary hours of sickness. Several persons told him tales, but

Amongst the rest a good old woman was
Hight Mother Hubberd, who did far surpass
The rest in honest mirth that seemed her well;
She, when her turn was come her tale to tell.
Told of a strange adventure that betided
Betwixt a fox and ape by him misguided;
The which, for that my sense it greatly pleased,…
I’ll write it as she the same did say.
   —Spenser.

Mother Hubberd’s Tale. A fox and an ape determined to travel about the world as chevaliers de l’industrie. First, Ape dressed as a broken-down soldier, and Fox as his servant. A farmer agreed to take them for his shepherds; but they devoured all his lambs and then decamped. They next “went in for holy orders.” Reynard contrived to get a living given him, and appointed the ape as his clerk; but they soon made the parish too hot to hold them, and again sheered off. They next tried their fortune at court; the ape set himself up as a foreigner of distinction, with Fox for his groom. They played the part of rakes, but being found to be desperate rogues, had to flee with all despatch, and seek another field of action. As they journeyed on, they saw a lion sleeping, and Master Fox persuaded his companion to steal the crown, sceptre, and royal robes. The ape, arrayed in these, assumed to be king, and Fox was his prime minister; but so ill did they govern that Jupiter interfered, the lion was restored, and the ape was docked of his tail and had his ears cropt.

Since which, all apes but half their ears have left,
And of their tails are utterly bereft.
So Mother Hubberd her discourse did end.
   —Spenser: Mother Hubberd’s Tale.

Mother Shipton, T. Evan Preece, of South Wales, a prophetess, whose predictions (generally in rhymes) were at one time in everybody’s mouth in South Wales, especially in Glamorganshire.

She predicted the death of Wolsey, lord Percy, and others. Her prophecies are still extant. That of “the end of the world in eighteen hundred and eighty-one” is a forgery.

Mother of the People (The), Marguerite of France la Mère des Peuples, daughter of François I. (1523–1574).

Mother’s Three Joys (A). “The three holydays allowed to the fond mother’s heart,” passing by the ecstasy of the birth of her child, are—

1. When first the white blossoms of his teeth appear, breaking the crimson buds that did encase them; that is a day of joy.

2. Next, when from his father’s arms he runs without support, and clings, laughing and delighted, to his mother’s knee; that is the mother’s heart’s next holyday.