It's Raining, It's Pouring
The old man is snoring
It's probably raining
The nursery rhyme originates from Britain, probably the north of England. For those who don't know, rain is a regular feature of the British Isles. On average, it rains for 133 days a year - when it's not snowing or foggy - producing an average of 885 mm of rain.
That's the average. Some parts of Britain, such as the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia and the Lake District see more than 4 metres in a year.
There have been reports of Doctors falling into puddles in Gloucester, as well as old men going to bed to miss the weather.
Ask the Canadians
Who? Why? you ask. Well, back in 2003 the Canadian Medical Association Journal printed an article analysing the rhyme.
What effect did the 'bump on the head' have on the old man? How did he come by his accident? Was it slipping in the rain, or foul play?
He was snoring - could he have suffered from sleep apnoea, where the sufferer stops breathing whilst sleeping, and wakes with a snort?
Doctors love these sort of games. It's always fun to diagnose fictional characters or figures from the past. Here's a great feature where you can join in.
That is the question
This is a vital point in the diagnosis of the old man. One version, the first, in fact, published in 1912, says he 'couldn't get up in the morning'. Neurologist Andrew Kaye (more doctors diagnosing imaginary characters!) thinks this indicates an accident, followed by a lucid interval, then death.
On the other hand, some versions have it that the old man 'wouldn't get up in the morning'. Perhaps he was so unhappy with the weather that he spent the day sulking in bed.
Here's how easy it is to set up and play It's Raining on the Soundbops board:
Images: Rhendi Rukmana, Inge Maria, Bill Oxford, Alexander Dummer, Unsplash
The Soundbops Blog
