# Polly Put the Kettle On
1803 
England
# Lyrics
Polly put the kettle on,
Polly put the kettle on,
Polly put the kettle on,
We’ll all have tea.
Sukey take it off again,
Sukey take it off again,
Sukey take it off again,
They’ve all gone away.
# History and Meaning
One story behind this rhyme is that it was written by a father who had two boys and three girls. When the girls wanted the boys to leave they would start a game of tea: Polly would put a kettle on, and presumably they'd ask the boys to get involved. Their brothers, wanting to play something more of a 'boys game' would leave. Once the sisters were alone they could take off the kettle and enjoy the time to themselves!
At that time, a kettle would have been made of iron and heated directly on the fire. The second girl's name, 'Sukey', was another way of saying 'Susan'.