Mondays Child is Fair of Face

Since I was born on Monday 7th August 2006!

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 gay.

As being 'full of woe' is not a nice fate for any Wednesday born child, the rhyme is sometimes changed to read "Wednesday's child will fear no foe."

Though uncertain, the traits assigned to each given day probably parallel traits assigned to planets, the Sun, and the Moon represented by various Gods in Norse, Roman, and Greek mythology. For example, the English word Friday stems from Freyja, the Norse goddess of Love, hence the notion that children born on Fridays will become 'loving and giving.' In addition, the word for Friday in many Romance languages is derived from the word 'Venus', the Roman goddess of love and beauty; other days of the week follow accordingly. There is also the likelihood an ancient rhyme had evolved over time and lines were reassigned to different days for cultural reasons, as in the case with the final rhyme for the Sabbath day being identified for Sunday instead of actual Judeo-Christian biblical scripture identifying Saturday as the Sabbath. In fact, a strict historical review of the rhyme would more correctly have the verse read:

    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)
    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 gay.