Peter White Will Ne'er Go Right Lyrics
Why does Peter White always end up going the wrong way? The rhyme sets it up as a question and answers with a joke about his nose.
Peter White Will Ne'er Go Right
Peter White will ne'er go right,
And would you know the reason why?
He follows his nose where'er he goes,
And that stands all awry.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/peter-white/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
What Does Peter White Will Ne'er Go Right Mean?
"Ne'er go right" means never go the right way. The reason is that he follows his nose wherever he goes, and his nose "stands all awry", meaning it points crooked. So he can never walk in a straight line. "Follow your nose" still means go straight ahead.
History and Origin
Walter Jerrold printed the rhyme in The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (1903). It plays on the old saying "follow your nose", turning it into a little puzzle with a punchline, a pattern found in many short rhymes of the time.
Learning Activities
- Follow your nose: walk across the room following your nose, then try it with your head tilted.
- Old sayings: find other sayings about the body, like "keep your chin up".