Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet,
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

This rhyme was first published in 1805

It has been suggested that the rhyme may refer to the daughter of Dr Thomas Muffet, a sixteenth century physician

It has also been suggested that Miss Muffet is Mary Queen of Scots and the spider is the Calvinist reformer Dr John Knox who preached against her.