Town and Country Pawn - Pop Goes The Weasel

Pop Goes The Weasel

The Nursery Rhyme "Pop Goes The Weasel" refers to pawning. A weasel is a shoemaker's tool and to "pop" is to pawn. "That's the way the money goes... Pop goes the weasel."

There are several versions of this famous nursery rhyme. We present our favorite for your enjoyment.

The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun
Pop! Goes the weasel.

A penny for a spool of thread
A penny for a needle,
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

A half a pound of tupenny rice,
A half a pound of treacle.
Mix it up and make it nice,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

Up and down the London road,
In and out of the Eagle,
That's the way the money goes,
Pop! Goes the weasel.

I've no time to plead and pine,
I've no time to wheedle,
Kiss me quick and then I'm gone
Pop! Goes the weasel.

Pop Goes The Weasel - Another tale

Did you know that the popular children's tune, Pop Goes the Weasel is actually about pawnshops? In 1853 W. R. Mondale, a British commentator wrote the poem as an illustration of the day-to-day struggle of making ends meet. A penny for a spool of thread, a penny for a needle That's the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel! Pop was the English slang for pawn. Potatoes for an Irishman's taste, a doctor for the measles A Fiddler always for a dance, pop goes the weasel! A weasel was a flat iron common in most homes of that day and easy to pawn.