Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts (Penguin Random House, 2016, 1st ed), Christopher de Hamel, p. 323

Another theory is that it comes from a low Dutch anti-clerical rhyme about priests demanding hard work. [2] [8] [9] Still other theories refer to Hathor worship; various constellations such as Taurus and Canis Minor; Elizabeth, Lady Katherine Grey, and her relationships with the Earls of Hertford and Leicester; and the Flight from Egypt. This is because they usually feel frantic, scared, or otherwise overwhelmed when they behave this way. Not only are they more likely to get into trouble, but they also negatively affect the energy in the barn or pasture. This is also when they aren’t as likely to bust down the fencing you’ve set up, provided you’ve given them enough space for your entire herd to move freely. Add a sudden, loud noise, an overeager onlooker, or even sudden movements, and it’s easy to end up with an overactive, scared cow. Skittish and Stubborn Animals

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S. H. Gale, Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese (London: Taylor & Francis, 1996), p. 1127. In England, there was even a famous case of an extremely active bovine making a 6′-foot leap to land on the roof of a low house! a b c d e f g I. Opie and P. Opie (1977). The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes. Oxford University Press. p.202. ISBN 978-0-19-869111-2. When people close their eyes and imagine cows, jumping isn’t something likely to come to mind, but it’s not that uncommon.

While cows can technically jump higher than this, most won’t attempt such a feat, especially if you do a good job with your fencing. Even if they don’t take the fence down, it’s very frustrating when your cows get out of their pasture. This is especially true if they are new to your farm, as this means they haven’t had time to adjust to their physical environment or the people and other animals around them.

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The “cat and the fiddle” has been tied to Catherine of Aragon (Katherine la Fidèle); Catherine I of Russia, the wife of Peter the Great; Canton de Fidèle, an alleged governor of Calais; and the game of cat ( trap-ball). [2] The profusion of unsupported explanations was satirised by J. R. R. Tolkien in his fictional explanations of " The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late". [10] Although there is some support for the trap-ball theory, scholarly commentators mostly conclude that the verse is simply meant to be nonsense. [2] [9] See also [ edit ] Bellenden Ker (1837). Archaeology of Popular Phrases and Nursery Rhymes, vol. I, second edition. p.252.