“Old Mother Hubbard” is a traditional English nursery rhyme that children have enjoyed for many years.
It tells the amusing story of an old woman who tries to get food for her pet dog from an empty cupboard, only to find that something silly or surprising happens each time. This rhyme is playful, silly, and full of humor.
Example:
Imagine you go to your kitchen looking for cookies, but the cookie jar is empty!
And while you are disappointed, your pet suddenly starts doing something funny like standing on two legs or dancing.
That is exactly the kind of fun this rhyme gives us.
Main Characters in the Rhyme
Let’s understand the important characters first:
Old Mother Hubbard
She is an old lady.
She cares for her dog and wants to feed him.
She is simple, kind, and loving.
The Dog
The dog is the star of the rhyme!
He behaves in funny, surprising, and unexpected ways.
Sometimes he dances, sometimes he reads, sometimes he even smokes a pipe (as in the old version of the rhyme).
The Cupboard
The cupboard is like a small cabinet or shelf where people keep food or dishes.
Mother Hubbard goes to the cupboard to get food for her dog.
But the cupboard is empty, again and again.
This creates humor in the rhyme because instead of being sad or hungry, the dog does silly actions each time.
Example for kids:
Think of your toy box.
If you open it and find it empty, you may feel sad.
But if suddenly your toy robot starts walking around the room, you would laugh!
That’s exactly how the cupboard and the dog work together in this rhyme.
Theme of the Rhyme
The rhyme has a few main themes:
Care and Love
Mother Hubbard loves her dog and wants to feed him.
This shows kindness and caring.
Surprise and Humor
Each time the cupboard is empty, the dog surprises us with funny actions.
This makes the rhyme joyful and silly.
Imagination
The dog does human-like things (like dancing, reading, smoking a pipe).
Children learn to imagine and laugh at these impossible but fun ideas.
Line-by-Line Idea (Simplified)
Instead of going word by word, let’s look at the general storyline:
Mother Hubbard goes to the cupboard
She wants to get food for her dog.
But the cupboard is bare (empty).
The dog reacts
Instead of being sad, the dog does something funny.
For example: dancing, standing up, or reading.
The pattern repeats
Every time she goes to get something, she fails.
But every time, the dog entertains with a new funny action.
Why Is It Called Enchanted Rhyme?
The word “enchanted” means magical or full of wonder.
The rhyme is not about real life; it’s magical because the dog acts like a human.
Children feel amazed and happy reading it.
It brings laughter and makes learning fun.
Learning Lessons from the Rhyme
Even though the rhyme is silly, it teaches many small but important lessons:
Care for Others
Mother Hubbard shows care for her dog.
Lesson: Always show love and kindness to pets, friends, and family.
Happiness in Small Things
Even though the cupboard is empty, the dog still finds joy by dancing and playing.
Lesson: Don’t be sad when things don’t go your way, find joy in small fun moments.
Imagination is Powerful
The dog does things that dogs cannot do in real life.
Lesson: Imagination makes stories exciting and creative.
Vocabulary from the Rhyme
The rhyme introduces children to some old English words.
Let’s simplify them:
Cupboard → A small cabinet or shelf for storing food.
Bare → Empty.
Mother Hubbard → An old woman’s name.
Pipe → A thing some old people used for smoking (not healthy in real life).
Bone → A dog’s treat or food.
Example for learning:
“The cupboard is bare” = The cupboard is empty.
“Mother Hubbard gave her dog a bone” = She gave her dog food.
Imagination and Creativity
One of the best things about this rhyme is how it sparks imagination.
Can dogs really read books?
Can dogs really dance?
Can dogs smoke pipes?
The answer is No!
But in the rhyme, they can.
And that makes it funny.
Activity for kids:
Ask children to imagine their own pets doing something silly:
A cat baking a cake.
A parrot driving a car.
A rabbit teaching math.
This makes learning creative and fun.
Rhythm and Rhyme
The rhyme is short, musical, and repetitive.
It uses simple words.
It has a bouncy rhythm.
This makes it easy for children to memorize and sing.
Example:
“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard” → notice the rhyme of Hubbard and cupboard.
Moral of the Story
The rhyme may not have a clear “moral” like a fable, but we can understand some messages:
Care for pets.
Stay happy even in difficult times.
Laughter and humor make life enjoyable.
Cultural Value
The rhyme is from England, written in the 19th century.
It was meant to entertain children with silly stories.
Over the years, many versions were created with different funny actions of the dog.
It is still loved today because children enjoy silly humor and imagination.
Educational Uses
Teachers use this rhyme in classrooms to:
Teach new vocabulary (cupboard, bare, bone).
Encourage creativity and imagination.
Improve memory through rhyme and rhythm.
Help children understand cause and effect:
Cause: Cupboard is empty.
Effect: The dog does something funny.
Example for cause and effect:
If you open the fridge and find no ice cream, you may pretend to eat an invisible cone and laugh!
