Has anyone heard that quote 'monday's child is..., tuesday's child is...,' etc.?

Question

Thursdays child (apparently) has far to go. After having discovered that i was born on thursday, i have decided that i may have far to go, but i am going to go far. so HAH! i say. anyone else agree?

Answer 1

Monday's Child is one of many fortune-telling songs, popular as nursery rhymes for children. It is supposed to tell a child's character or future based on the day they were born. As with all nursery rhymes, there are many versions. Below is just one common form.

    Monday's child is fair of face.

    Tuesday's child is full of grace.

    Wednesday's child is full of woe.

    Thursday's child has far to go.

    Friday's child is loving and giving.

    Saturday's child works hard for a living,

    But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day

    Is bonny and blithe and good and g*y.

However, here's an earlier version (1887) that has Thursday's child as working hard for a living instead.

    Monday's child is fair of face.

    Tuesday's child is full of grace.

    Wednesday's child is loving and giving.

    Thursday's child works hard for a living,

    Friday's child is full of woe.

    Saturday's child has far to go.

    But the child that is born on Sabbath-day

    Is bonny and happy and wise and g*y.

Even earlier than that, the rhyme can be explained by the origins of the names of the week days. They are (mostly) based off of the mythological Norse gods.

    Sunday's child is full of grace. (Christian day of worship)

    Monday's child is fair of face. (Mon=Moon, with its 'face')

    Tuesday's child is full of woe. (Tues=Týr, Norse 'God of War')

    Wednesday's child has far to go. (Wednes=Woden 'The Wanderer')

    Thursday's child works hard for a living, (Thur=Thor, Norse god [Thor is always depicted with a hammer and though he used it as a weapon, foreigners who thought up the rhyme might have mistook it for a tool of work instead of viloence)

    Friday's child is loving and giving. (Frida=Freyja, Norse 'God of Love')

    But the child that is born on Sabbath-day

    Is bonny and happy and wise and g*y.