• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Activities
  • Crafts
  • Games
  • Parenting
  • Toys
  • Videos
  • Game Night
  • Educational Activities
  • Toddler Art Activities
  • Toddler Motor Skills Activities
  • Preschooler Art Activities
  • Winter activities for kids
  • Cooking Activities for Kids
  • Traveling With Kids
  • Christmas Crafts
  • Mommy Time
  • Motherhood Tips
  • Acts of Kindness Ideas
  • Kid Friendly Recipes
  • Things We Love
  • Easy Halloween Costume for Kids
  • About/Contact

Playtivities logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Activities
  • Crafts
  • Games
  • Parenting
  • Toys
  • Videos
  • Game Night
  • Educational Activities
  • Toddler Art Activities
  • Toddler Motor Skills Activities
  • Preschooler Art Activities
  • Winter activities for kids
  • Cooking Activities for Kids
  • Traveling With Kids
  • Christmas Crafts
  • Mommy Time
  • Motherhood Tips
  • Acts of Kindness Ideas
  • Kid Friendly Recipes
  • Things We Love
  • Easy Halloween Costume for Kids
  • About/Contact
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Activities
  • Crafts
  • Games
  • Parenting
  • Toys
  • Videos
  • Game Night
  • Educational Activities
  • Toddler Art Activities
  • Toddler Motor Skills Activities
  • Preschooler Art Activities
  • Winter activities for kids
  • Cooking Activities for Kids
  • Traveling With Kids
  • Christmas Crafts
  • Mommy Time
  • Motherhood Tips
  • Acts of Kindness Ideas
  • Kid Friendly Recipes
  • Things We Love
  • Easy Halloween Costume for Kids
  • About/Contact
×

Home » Nursery Rhymes

Published: Dec 14, 2022 by Birute Efe · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

If Wishes Were Horses Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video

If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride! Most of us know this popular proverb. But do you know that there’s more to it? The proverb has its roots in 16th-century England. It is a traditional nursery rhyme that uses a quirky way to moral lessons to children. 

Do you want to know more details about the rhyme? How many versions of the rhyme have been recorded? Do you think the proverb has anything to do with the Star Trek episode with the same title? 

Read on to find out and download the lyrics from the below links. 

Written Lyrics

Common Version: 

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

If turnips were watches, I'd wear one by my side.

If "ifs" and "ands" were pots and pans,

There'd be no work for tinkers' hands.

Another Version:

If wishes were horses
Beggars would ride:
If turnips were watches
I would wear one by my side.
And if if’s and an’s were pots and pans,
The tinker would never work!

Funny Version: 

If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.

If horse turds were biscuits, they'd eat 'til they died.

Printable Lyrics 

Click on the printable PDF file to download multiple versions of the rhyme, If Wishes were Horses. 

Photo Lyrics 

Save the image on your device to get the lyrics. 

If Wishes Were Horses lyrics

Video Links

Watch the animated video of the rhyme:

Origins and History

The popular version of the nursery rhyme If Wishes Were Horses comes from James Kelly's Scottish Proverbs, Collected and Arranged, published in 1721. However, this is not the first recorded version of the rhyme. 

The history dates back to 1605 when William Camden published a collection titled Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine. This book printed a different version, ‘if wishes were thrushes beggars would eat birds’. 

The Proverbs in Scots published by James Carmichael in 1628 used the word ‘horses’ in the proverb for the first time. This version was ‘And wishes were horses, pure men wald ride’. The word ‘pure’ meant poor, and ‘wald’ meant would. 

The poor men became ‘beggars’ in the Collection of English Proverbs by John Ray, published in 19670. This one read, ‘if wishes would bide, beggars would ride’. The word ‘horses’ was replaced with ‘bide’ to rhyme with ‘ride’. 

Then in 1721, James Kelly published his collection of Scottish proverbs. The book had the proverb listed, ‘if wishes were horses, beggars would ride’. It looks like James Kelly mixed up all the previous versions to create something new. James Orchard Halliwell listed a rhyme similar to James Kelly’s version in the collection he compiled in the 1840s. 

Similar changes were made to the last line of the nursery rhyme. Most versions imply that the tinkers (workers) would have no job if wishes were horses. However, there’s one version that ends with ‘there’d surely be dishes to do’. This is for the kids to stop asking questions and complete the chores. This version can be found in James Orchard Halliwell’s collection. 

FAQs

Is the nursery rhyme listed in the Roud Folk Song Index? 

Yes. If wishes were horses is at 20004 in the Roud Folk Song Index collection.

Is the Star Trek episode related to the proverb? 

Not really. The 16th episode of the first season is titled the same as the rhyme. It loosely uses the theme of how wishes can go wrong but has nothing to do with the rhyme. 

More fun:

  • Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Bingo Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Beans Beans The Magical Fruit Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Dem Bones Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Birute! I've created playtivites to eliminate boring afternoons and family gatherings. With hundreds of family activities and play ideas, and crafts both parents and kids will enjoy.

More about me →

Recent:

  • Betty Botter Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Early To Bed Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video
  • Finger Family Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video

Popular:

  • 25 Family Friendly Dare Ideas For Game Night
  • 20 Family Game Night Ideas
  • 25 Easiest Low Prep Obstacle Courses for Kids
  • 20 Activities for Siblings to Bond, Compete and Cooperate

Pages:

  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Have a question?
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023

0 shares