Sing a Song of Sixpence

Blackbird Pie - Exotic Conversation Piece or Means for Delivering the Goods?

Some say that the 24 blackbirds in the pie represent an actual historical event. Apparently, upon Henry's dissolution of the Catholic Church in England, he was presented a pie in which deeds to 24 monasteries and other choice properties were baked. Others say that it was Henry who baked the deeds into a pie and presented it as something of a practical joke to a friend. (See Lubin, 0132, Historical Note and http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A288966)

There is also evidence that the baking of live birds into pastry was practiced at some point. There is apparently an Italian cookbook from 1549 that contains a recipe, which was later translated into English, for such a pie. These apparently served as “exotic conversation pieces ,” startling banquet guests when the pie was cut open and the birds all flew away. (http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msixpence.html, and http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0598/didyouknow.html)

In either case, one would expect a pleasant look of surprise on the king's face, upon cutting into this baked novelty. However, the expressions on the faces of the different kings do not always depict the sense of amusement one might expect. In fact, in some, the king has more of a look of horror than surprise.

The servants in Caldecott's illustration show more glee than do the king and queen; though, the queen is about to clap her hands in presumed delight. Blanche Fisher Wright in The Real Mother Goose shows a bemused king and a more surprised servant. Whether the text refers to actual birds in a pie or deeds to property, it was indeed a “dainty dish” to set before that king. Dainty, from the Middle English deinte, is the feeling of esteem and pleasure, which Henry most certainly would have felt knowing that the church had bowed to his wishes.