Eeper Weeper

Eeper Weeper (Heeper Peeper in some references) [See [http://www.rhymestars.co.uk/favourite.aspx Rhyme Stars] (accessed 28 June 2008) and other nursery rhyme sites for examples.] is a popular English nursery rhyme and skipping song that tells the story of a chimney sweep who kills his second wife and hides her body up a chimney.

Lyrics

:"Eeper Weeper, chimbly sweeper,":"Had a wife but couldn't keep her.":"Had another, didn't love her,":"Up the chimbly he did shove her."

Alternative lyrics

Occasionally two additional lines are prefixed to the main body of the rhyme. These are not optional – if the child is aware of the additional lines they will always be sung.

:"Ice cream, penny a lump,":"The more you eat the more you jump.":"Eeper Weeper, chimbly sweeper,":"Had a wife but couldn't keep her.":"Had another, didn't love her,":"Up the chimbly he did shove her."

Explanation

*The main rhyme is meant to refer to an actual murder case in London's East End in the 1890s, the unidentified murderer coming from Ypres in Belgium.Fact|date=June 2008
*The phrase "…but couldn't keep her" refers to "keep" in the sense that the chimney sweep did not earn enough to maintain his wife to an acceptable standard.
*It is normal for the word "chimney" to be deliberately mispronounced as "chimbly."
*When used as a skipping song, the rhythm of the skipping is emphasised as the rhyme is recited.

References