But those stories, while intended for children, weren't intended to entertain them. They were told to children to scare them - morality lessons and so forth. Most of the versions we now know today are quite sanitized versions of the originals, or have lost the original meaning. Some other examples that come to mind are the "Ring around the rosie" chant that apparently refers to the plague, and "Rock-a-bye Baby", where the cradle falls to the ground. This last one is funny, because as pretty as it sounds when sung to a child, it's not the kind of ending a parent would wish on their child.
But those stories, while intended for children, weren't intended to entertain them. They were told to children to scare them - morality lessons and so forth. Most of the versions we now know today are quite sanitized versions of the originals, or have lost the original meaning. Some other examples that come to mind are the "Ring around the rosie" chant that apparently refers to the plague, and "Rock-a-bye Baby", where the cradle falls to the ground. This last one is funny, because as pretty as it sounds when sung to a child, it's not the kind of ending a parent would wish on their child.