The Winds (Mister East Gave a Feast) Lyrics
The four winds are four guests at a feast: East gives it, North lays the cloth, West does his best, and South burns his mouth.
The Winds (Mister East Gave a Feast)
Mister East gave a feast;
Mister North laid the cloth;
Mister West did his best;
Mister South burnt his mouth
Eating cold potato.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-winds/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Chanted, a beat for each wind
- Best for ages
- 3 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Mister East gave a feast | Hold out both hands as if offering a dish. |
| Mister North laid the cloth | Smooth an invisible tablecloth with both hands. |
| Mister South burnt his mouth | Fan your mouth with a hand and make a funny face. |
What Does The Winds (Mister East Gave a Feast) Mean?
Each of the four winds becomes a person with a task at a feast. East is the host, North lays the cloth, West tries hard and South has the last joke. The twist is in the last two lines: South burnt his mouth eating cold potato. Nothing cold should burn, and the joke seems to rest on the south being the warm direction, so even cold food is hot to him.
It is also a good rhyme for learning the four compass points in order.
History and Origin
The rhyme is printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916) as five short lines. It gives each of the four winds a title, Mister East, Mister North, Mister West and Mister South, so they act like four neighbours.
Learning Activities
- Compass feast: set four places at a table, one for each wind, and label them East, North, West and South.
- Find the directions: point to north, south, east and west in your room or garden.
- Wind faces: blow gently on a feather as each wind speaks.
- Wind weather: go outside, feel which way the wind blows, and say which of the four it might be.