Origins
A version by Sarah Catherine Martin (1768–1826) first recited while staying with her sister Judith Ann Martin, Mrs John Pollexfen Bastard at Kitley House Yealmpton in Devon was published as The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her Dog by J. Harris of London, June 1, 1805. She claimed that she only drew the accompanying illustrations and the version may have been based on earlier material. The name Mother Hubbard was used as a character from 1591, although the surviving works that include her do not bear any relationship to the rhyme. A very similar rhyme 'Old Dame Trop' was published in 1803, but since the language in 'Old Mother Hubbard' appears more archaic it is not clear that it was derived from this verse. It has been argued that the first stanza is older than the others, because it uses a different meter, so it is possible that Martin expanded on an existing first verse, using 'Old Dame Trop' as a model. The book was immediately popular, possibly in part because it was believed to be a political commentary.
The "Dame Trot" version (cited by Panati as titled "Old Dame Trot, and Her Comical Cat", is as follows:
Old Dame trot,
Some cold fish had got,
Which for pussy,
She kept in Store,
When she looked there was none
The cold fish had gone,
For puss had been there before.
"Dame Trot" was published by one T. Evans one year before that of Sarah Catherine Martin.
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