A happy cow on it's four stiff standers

Four Stiff Standers

Four stiff standers,
Four dilly-danders,
Two lookers,
Two crookers,
And a wig-wag!

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Posted in All Rhymes, Animals, Historical & Legendary, Mother Goose Classics

Tagged cow, eyes, farm, horns, legs, riddle, tail

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Meaning

“Four Stiff Standers” is a riddle rhyme that describes a cow. The “four stiff standers” are its legs, the “four diddle-danders” are likely its teats, the “two lookers” are eyes, “two crookers” are horns, and the “wig wag” is the tail. Like many traditional riddles, it’s designed to entertain through metaphorical language and imagery.

Origin

This rhyme comes from English oral tradition, particularly rural or agrarian regions. Riddle rhymes were especially popular in farming communities, where children learned through poetic descriptions of familiar animals and objects.

Time Period

The rhyme likely dates back to the 18th or early 19th century, consistent with the tradition of riddle-based nursery rhymes passed through generations before being written down.

Why It Became Popular

Riddle rhymes like this became popular due to their cleverness and interactive nature. They were often shared orally in group settings, especially with children, as a form of play and education about everyday life—here, the anatomy of a cow.

First Known Publication

Earliest known appearance is in The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by James Orchard Halliwell in the 1840s.

Structure and Style

Meter: Irregular, but predominantly trochaic
Rhyme Scheme: None
Line Count: 6 lines
Style Notes: Uses alliteration (“stiff standers”, “diddle-danders”), rhythmic listing, and metaphor. Intended to mimic riddling style with visual and tactile clues embedded in sound-play.

Themes

Riddles
Farm life
Observation of animals
Playful learning

Language Notes

“Diddle-danders” is a nonsensical or dialect phrase used for rhythm and rhyme; likely referring to the cow’s teats.
“Crookers” is a dialectal term likely referencing something crooked—here, the horns.
The rhyme employs heavily metaphorical phrasing and compound nicknames for anatomical features, typical of oral riddle traditions.

Moral or Lesson

None clearly intended. The rhyme functions primarily as a riddle or playful observation.

Historical or Cultural Notes

In rural 18th- and 19th-century England, riddling rhymes were both a form of entertainment and instruction. They trained children to observe the natural world carefully, and they reinforced community knowledge through poetic forms. This rhyme likely helped children learn about the cow, an important animal in agrarian life.

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