Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Yellow Belly

What was the origins of this rhyme, was it plague related or something similar?
I remember as a child singing it in the playground etc.

Yellow belly custard
Green snot pie
All mixed together with a dead dogs eye
slap it on a butty, nice and thick
wash all it down with a cup of cold sick.


Enjoy your breakfast.

Me too Bert but think it was just one of those nasty little rhymes rather than a reference to something in history?

Horrible kids weren't we?

Perhaps so Helles, I remember it in the 50s, any advance on that.

Another rhyme

What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That's what little boys are made of !"
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice and all things nice
That's what little girls are made of!"

The origin of the "What are little boys made of" poem can be traced to the early 19th century - the battle of the sexes was raging even then! The words of "What are little boys made of" obviously reflect this, but what is the meaning of 'snips and snails'? Several interpretations have been suggested but the one with the most credibility is that the original words were in fact 'snips of snails' - the origin of snips meaning 'little bits of'. No redemption there for describing what little boys are made of'! And, of course, little girls love to hear that they are made of
"Sugar and spice and all things nice!

now you come to think of it bert i think? thats what i had for breakfast this morning!.

It was popular when I was young, and still revolting!

We don't seem to get snotty-nosed children these days.

There were a couple of green snotty-nosed waifs in my class, who were pale and a bit dirty. One girl had two permanent green candles and used to sit opposite me at school dinners. She was a nice girl and good fun, and when she laughed the candles went up and down.
In the winter she and a couple of others used to come to school in cheap black pumps.

I told my dad who said in his day at St Joseph's Wallasey some came in bare feet. The nuns would supply them with shoes and socks but later they were back with their feet bare. I would think this dire poverty is not as evident these days.

It opened my eyes to the fact that although we did not have much there were school friends who had so much less and problems at home.

Nice one, bert.

There were a few alternative versions. The one favoured by scousers was:

Yellow matter custard,
Green slop pie,
All mixed together with a dead dog's eye.
Slap it on a butty, ten foot thick,
Then wash it all down with a cup of cold sick.

A bit of music trivia: John Lennon used part of the rhyme in his song “I am the Walrus”

“Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye”.

Don't think it was plague related - just a nonsense song from the 1950s.

Instead of 'snips and snails' we used to say 'slugs and snails'.

Thanks Nightwalker,

“Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye”. yes a line from I'm a Walrus and not forgetting "Sugar and Spice and all things nice", a line from the Searches Hit.

Does anyone remember when kids would do a 'dip' to choose who went first in some game or other?

You'd point at each kid in turn, chanting a rhyme and moving your finger with each syllable. The last kid you pointed at was the chosen one.

One popular dip was a real tongue-twister which went something like...
'Eeny-meeny, macaraca, der-die, dominaca, chick-a-poppa, lollipoppa, term-time tish.'

And there was ..
'Dip-dip, my blue ship, sailing on the water like a cup and saucer, dip-dip, my blue ship.'

Remember the little ditties and it's funny how the words differ slightly, obviously according to how old you are and where you was brought up but the idea was the same.
With regard to the "yellowbelly" bit, the people of Lincolnshire are known as "Yellowbellies" but not because of any links to cowardice, it was because their locally raised regiment wore yellow waistcoats under their redcoats, I used to know who raised the local militia but I've forgotten it now, along with a lot of other stuff.

I remember the rhyme too, and if you think too much about it it really can turn your stomach, especially (for me) the cup of cold sick.
Does anyone remember this one too;
Jesus Christ Almighty
A mouse ran up my nighty,
bit my tit and made me shit
Jesus Christ Almighty!

We were only young when we'd sing that one, possibly 8 or 9. It's funny what you can recall word perfect, despite being four decades ago

Here's a NICE one.

True friends are like diamonds precious and rare,
False friends are like Autumn leaves, found everywhere.
So treasure a friend that's good and true,
For that is life's greatest gift to you.


We used to say "slugs and snails" too.

aw thats nice Woodley.
i agree on that one xx

I heard 'Ring o Ring of Rosies' can be sourced back to The Plague? Is this true?
What was that ditty all to do with London Bridge names? (two kids would 'catch' another kid under their 'bridge', that was made by facing each other and holding hands)??