King of the Castle

[Daisybabe]

I have just been out for lunch and saw a little girl and boy playing on some rocks - the girl was calling 'I'm the king of the castle, and you're the dirty rascal'.

I haven't heard that since I was a kid - does anyone know its origin?

[crilly2k]

It came from when there was a massive flu appedimic when thousands of people died but they didn't realise it was flu for a long time thats where (a tissue a tissue we all fall down) it came from the states orginaly I think

[sophie_1003]

crilly..i think you're thinking of Ring a ring a roses...don't know about I'm the King of The Castle one though I'm afraid

[Quizmonster]

I believe the explanation above is a reference to "Ring a ring o'roses" (or "Ring around the rosie" as, I believe the Americans have it). That referred to the Black Death/Plague rather than flu.
"I'm the king of the castle" is just an old nursery rhyme sung along with a children's game of trying to hold onto a high place. As such I don't imagine the original 'author' will be easy to find.

[Quizmonster]

Ah! Your answer was not there when I started to type mine, Sophie.

[sophie_1003]

S'ok I'll let you off hee hee!

[shaneystar2]

I think it was called King of the Hill when I was a child although we sang the same words. The object was to get up to the top of wherever you were and knock the previous incumbent off his perch by fair means or foul ! It was a race to start....the first one up was the King .The one who managed to remain there the longest was the winner.It involved a lot of rough and tumble ! I have no idea where it originated.Someone is bound to know though !

Atishoo Atishoo is from Ring a Ring 'O Rosies not King of the Castle .

[shaneystar2]

Whoops...these other posts were not here when I started to type ...sorry!

[crilly2k]

Whoops sorry for the duff info ha ha

[DaSwede]

We have it in Sweden too, and I'm sure a lot of people here would be willing to swear it originated here. I wouldn't - these things do get around. It's the same thing with folk tales - it's impossible to know where they started. However, the Swedish name of the game is

Herre p� t�ppan

which would mean something like Lord of the garden patch.

[Peter Pedant]

Opie have (there are two, man and wife) written a lot of children's games and rhymes
BUT they dont go with a historical basis to rhymes,
AND certainly, whether or not Litle Jack horner go the convent at Mells or not, doenst explain why children are singing about it now.

[JC_Hatman]

I suspect that it would have appeared following the appearance of Norman castles in Britain following the invasion of 1066.

These castles were of a different design from the forts previously seen in Europe as they were made to be both dominant and defensive.

The were designed to intimitade the occupied people and show the 'peasants' who was in power.

During the War of the Roses, capturing and keeping the castles was initially thought to be of key importance to win the war, so many were fought over won, lost and won again...

The game is therefore a one about occupying the high defensive ground, and declaring yourself the winning king (the war of the Roses was for the throne of England).

There may be other variations throughout Europe like an early meme..

But the English language one would have originated in Britain.