Bo Peep February 15, 2017 All Rhymes 0 Comments

Jack at the top of the stalk is startled by the giant

Fee Fie Foe Fum

Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he ‘live, or be he dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.

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Posted in All Rhymes, Historical & Traditional, Mother Goose Classics, People & Characters

Tagged beanstalk, blood, bread, danger, Englishman, fairy tale, giant, Jack

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Meaning:

This rhyme is the giant’s chant from the English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. It expresses menace and violence toward Jack (and any Englishman). Its purpose is to heighten suspense and drama in the story.

Outside of the fairy tale, the chant is often used playfully to evoke giants, monsters, or danger.

Origin:

The phrase dates back to at least the early 17th century, possibly even earlier as part of English folk tradition. Its earliest known literary reference is in William Shakespeare’s King Lear (1606), where a similar line is spoken by Edgar:

“Fie, foh, and fum, I smell the blood of a British man.”

It was later incorporated into the traditional tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, solidifying its association with giants.

Time Period:

The rhyme, in its Jack and the Beanstalk form, is widely documented from the 18th century onward.

Why It Became Popular:

Its alliterative nonsense sounds (“fee, fie, foe, fum”) are highly memorable.
Jack and the Beanstalk became one of the most beloved English fairy tales in Mother Goose collections and chapbooks.
The chant is dramatically delivered by the villain, making it iconic.

First Known Publication:

The version tied to Jack and the Beanstalk was published in Benjamin Tabart’s The History of Jack and the Bean-Stalk (1807), though the phrase itself is older.

Structure and Style:

Meter: Trochaic tetrameter (irregular)
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB
Line Count: 4 lines
Style Notes: Combines nonsense alliteration with a vivid, violent image; designed to be chanted for dramatic effect.

Themes:

Danger
Villainy and threat
Folkloric giants
Suspense

Language Notes:

“Fee, fie, foe, fum” is nonsense alliteration used for rhythm and intimidation.
“Grind his bones to make my bread” alludes to the giant’s supernatural strength and cannibalistic tendencies, a common trope in folklore.

Moral or Lesson:

None clearly intended. The rhyme is part of the story’s drama, not a standalone lesson.

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