Mother Goose
- The term 'Mother Goose' has been traced to Loret's 1650 La Muse Historique in which appeared the line, Comme un conte de la Mere Oye ("Like a Mother Goose story"). In 1697 Charles Perrault used the phrase in a published collection of eight fairy tales which included "The Sleeping Beauty," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and others. Although the book was titled, (translated from French) Histories and Tales of Long Ago, with Morals, the frontispiece showed an old woman spinning and telling stories, with a placard on the page which bore the words Contes de la Mere l'Oye (Tales of My Mother the Goose). Perrault thereby set the stage for the name to become a household word. The fact is that "Mother Goose" rhymes are from many sources and passed down in folklore fashion. Though, the origins of Mother Goose terminology are vague and authorship of the verses is known to be varied yet, we all know that "Mother Goose" is, somehow, real.