Long Legs, Crooked Thighs (Riddle) Lyrics
Something with long legs, bent thighs, a tiny head and no eyes. It sounds like a strange creature, but it was once found beside every fireplace.
Long Legs, Crooked Thighs (Riddle)
Long legs, crooked thighs,
Little head, and no eyes.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/long-legs-crooked-thighs/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken riddle
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
What Does Long Legs, Crooked Thighs (Riddle) Mean?
The answer is a pair of tongs, the long metal pincers used to pick up coal or logs for the fire. The two arms are the long legs, the bend where they join looks like crooked thighs, and the small round top is the head, with no eyes at all.
History and Origin
The Real Mother Goose (1916) prints the rhyme with its answer as the title: "Tongs". Riddle rhymes about everyday objects were a favorite fireside game in homes heated by open fires, where the tongs hung right next to the poker and the brush.
Learning Activities
- Guess first: say the riddle before telling the answer and let your child guess.
- Kitchen tongs: show a pair of kitchen tongs and find the legs and head.
- Make a riddle: describe a spoon or a chair as if it were a creature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the answer to Long legs, crooked thighs?
A pair of fireplace tongs.
Why crooked thighs?
The bend where the two arms of the tongs join looks like bent legs.