When the Wind Is in the East Lyrics
Is today a good day to go fishing? Before weather forecasts, people answered that by checking which way the wind was blowing, and this old rhyme gives the answer for all four directions.
When the Wind Is in the East
When the wind is in the east,
'Tis neither good for man nor beast;
When the wind is in the north,
The skilful fisher goes not forth;
When the wind is in the south,
It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth;
When the wind is in the west,
Then 'tis at the very best.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/when-the-wind-is-in-the-east/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
What Does When the Wind Is in the East Mean?
Each pair of lines names a wind and what it means:
- East: bad for everyone. In Britain, east winds often bring cold, dry air.
- North: too rough, so a skilful fisherman stays at home.
- South: good fishing, because the fish are said to bite well.
- West: the best of all. West winds in Britain are usually mild.
A fisher is a fisherman, and 'tis is short for it is.
History and Origin
Weather sayings like this were passed around by farmers and fishermen long before anyone collected them for children. James Orchard Halliwell included it in The Nursery Rhymes of England in the 1840s, among other rhymes about the seasons. Its advice is not a reliable forecast, but the general idea, that west winds bring milder weather to Britain, matches what weather scientists say today.
Learning Activities
- Wind watch: tie a ribbon to a stick outside and check it each morning. Which line of the rhyme matches today?
- Compass points: mark north, south, east and west in your garden or classroom and point the right way as you say each line.
- Draw the four winds: divide a page into four and draw what each wind means for the fisherman.