Mother Goose’s Melody; or Sonnets for the Cradle

Mother Goose's Melody; or Sonnets for the Cradle was a collection of nursery rhymes published in London around 1781 by the successors of John Newbery. This publication is considered the first significant collection associated with the name "Mother Goose". The term "Mother Goose rhyme" itself refers to a nursery rhyme, with the name originating from this collection.123

While a legend exists about an actual Elizabeth Goose in Boston writing rhymes in 1719, there is no evidence to support this claim. The name "Mother Goose" likely derives from Charles Perrault's French fairy tales, Contes de ma mère l'oye (1697), which translates to "Tales of Mother Goose" and was a folk expression for old wives' tales. The collection's popularity led to the verses becoming commonly known as "Mother Goose rhymes" in the United States.12