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Thursday, May 19, 2022

Nursery Rhyme Backstory: Jack and Jill

Seven daughters and a son
had Captain Basil Brassington.
His heir apparent Jack was named;
some seven sisters Jack proclaim'd.
     First, Sydney (short for 'Saint-Denys'),
then Signe (means 'new victory'),
then Sigrid and Simone, the twins 
(call'd 'Sig 'n' Simo' for their sins).
     Then Silvie and Sigourney (whom
you've seen on TV, I presume),
and, last (nor least) the baby, Jill,
who, with her brother, climb'd that hill.

Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita Anagramaniacal Opening Lines

Lolita, light of my life...  ...might fail to yell "Foil!"...  ...or opt to yell "Epee!" -- she's just that unpredic...