Bo Peep February 15, 2017 All Rhymes 0 Comments

Fly and bee at church in marriage ceremony

Fiddle Dee Dee

Fiddle dee dee, fiddle dee dee,
The fly has married the bumblebee.
They went to the church,
And married was she.
The fly has married the bumblebee.

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Posted in All Rhymes, Mother Goose Classics, Nature & Seasons, Nonsensical

Tagged bee, church, fly, marriage

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Meaning

“Fiddle Dee Dee” is a whimsical rhyme built around fanciful animal courtship, specifically a fly and a bumblebee getting married. It’s often interpreted simply as a playful nonsense verse, emphasizing imagination, rhythm, and rhyme over deep meaning. The phrase “fiddle-de-dee” is an old exclamation akin to saying “nonsense” or “oh, whatever,” lending a comic air to the idea of a fly and bee in holy matrimony.

Origin

The rhyme likely stems from English folk traditions, particularly those involving anthropomorphized animals in absurd or humorous situations—a hallmark of 18th–19th century children’s rhymes. It borrows from the long-standing custom of using insects and animals to entertain and educate children.

Time Period

The rhyme appears to date from the early to mid-19th century, though its origins may go back further in oral tradition. The phrase “fiddle-de-dee” has been recorded in English literature as early as the 18th century.

Why It Became Popular

Its catchy, repetitive meter and nonsensical pairing of insects make it ideal for children’s memorization and recital. Rhymes like this were common in nursery collections and passed on orally, often chanted during play. The absurdity of the union adds to its humor, helping it stick in children’s minds.

First Known Publication

One of the earliest known printings appears in The Baby’s Opera (1877) by Walter Crane, a Victorian-era illustrator known for pairing traditional nursery rhymes with vivid illustrations. Earlier oral variants may have existed, but this publication helped cement the rhyme in popular nursery culture.

Structure and Style

Meter: Trochaic dimeter
Rhyme Scheme: AABB
Line Count: 4 lines
Style Notes: The rhyme uses light, trochaic meter—ideal for sing-song recitation. Repetition of “fiddle-de-dee” adds rhythmic playfulness. The theme of animal marriage is common in children’s verse, inviting imaginative visualization.

Themes

Whimsy
Animal personification
Marriage
Nonsense verse

Language Notes

“Fiddle-de-dee” – A dismissive or playful expression meaning “nonsense” or “I don’t care,” dating to at least the 1700s.
Use of “married was she” – Inversion of modern syntax, likely for poetic cadence.

Moral or Lesson

None clearly intended. The rhyme is designed for humor and imaginative amusement rather than instruction.

Historical or Cultural Notes

In Victorian England, rhymes about animal weddings or courtships were common and often functioned as gentle introductions to human social roles in ways that entertained children. The rhyme also parallels other nonsense poems, such as those by Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll.

Notable Variants

Some versions end slightly differently, such as:

“The fly has married the humblebee.”
This variation replaces “bumblebee” with “humblebee”, an older term for the same insect.

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Fiddle Dee Dee

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