“Ladybug! Ladybug! Fly Away Home”

An old English nursery rhyme that dates back to the mid 18th century or earlier. Seems rather a strange thing to teach to children, as are many nursery rhymes, if you think about it.

I like ladybugs, the gardener’s friend, and explored possible origins of this odd rhyme.

“Ladybug!  Ladybug!

Fly away home.
Your house is on fire.
And your children all gone.

All except one,
And that’s little Ann,
For she crept under
The frying pan.”

Or this version:

“Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,

Your house is on fire,

Your children shall burn!”

There are other variations, and it’s been made into a lovely little song.  Years ago when my eldest daughter was in a children’s’ choir they learned it in German.

I had no idea what the actual words were, just hummed along happily.  After I discovered the merry melody translated to, “Lady bug Lady bug fly away home, your house is afire and your children are burning,” I was rather taken aback. (*My grandbaby Emma dressed as a ladybug for Halloween)

From Favorite Poems Old and New, Selected for boys and girls by Helen Ferris Doubleday & Co., Inc.(1957)

“Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home

the field mouse is gone to her nest

the daisies have shut up their sleepy red eyes

and the birds and the bees are at rest

Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home

the glow worm is lighting her lamp

the dew’s falling fast, and your fine speckled wings

will flag with the close clinging damp

Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home

the fairy bells tinkle afar

make haste or they’ll catch you and harness you fast

with a cobweb to Oberon’s star.”

*This one is much nicer than the others.

Possible meanings for the rhyme include: “Superstitious beliefs that it was unlucky to kill a ladybird, and that the verse would make them fly off. Another superstition states that you should chant the verse if a ladybird lands on you: if it then flies away again, your wish will come true.”

From Ladybug History Connection:

“Ladybug, ladybug” is chanted by children when a  ladybug insect lands on their person. If the ladybug doesn’t fly away of its own accord the child would gently blow it away chanting “Ladybug Ladybug fly away home”. This insect is found every summer in the gardens of Britain – the most common colour is red with black spots, less common are the yellow variety. In Britain ladybugs are referred to as ‘ladybirds’.

“Farmers knew of the Ladybird’s value in reducing the level of pests in their crops and it was traditional for them to cry out the rhyme before they burnt their fields following harvests ( this reduced the level of insects and pests) in deference to the helpful ladybird.”

*There has been some speculation that this Nursery Rhyme originates from the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666

For more theories visit: Nursery Rhymes Lyrics and Origins

***All royalty free images