BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » All the King's Horses

Davina · August 6, 2012 6:20 am

In the scene on St. Bart's rooftop, near the end, Moriarty says to Sherlock that...

'Your big brother and all the King's horses...'

I've only just consciously brought it to mind that this is part of a nursery rhyme called Humpty Dumpty, which I realise will not be familiar to many of our members so I will give you the full version here:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses
And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Only when you know the nursery rhyme in full can you see the relevance of the reference by Moriarty. It is all about a fall from a great height with fatal consequences. He also knows that by referencing the horses the link would also be to all the King's men too, men such as those who work for Mycroft.

Usually in books Humpty Dumpty is portrayed as an egg in human form.

Last edited by Davina (August 6, 2012 6:21 am)

Wholocked · August 6, 2012 6:39 am

Do you know Davina, it never ever occurred to me that viewers of the show wouldn't know that rhyme; it's such an integral part of my childhood I just assumed everyone knows it. But of course you're right, it's a British nursery rhyme.

SusiGo · August 6, 2012 7:52 am

Is it originally from "Alice in Wonderland" or did Lewis Carroll quote an existing nursery rhyme?

Davina · August 6, 2012 7:56 am

It is an existing nursery rhyme. It is believed to date back to the Middle Ages possibly one of our many, many wars with the French.

Last edited by Davina (August 6, 2012 7:56 am)

Mattlocked · August 6, 2012 8:08 am

Oh wait..... I'll show you my latest interpretation of Humpty Dumpty.
Now sitting on a fence in the garden - hopefully it will NOT fall into pieces!

Didn't know that Moriarty used a quote from that poem, though..

Davina · August 6, 2012 8:14 am

Aww! He is so cute. I love his blue boots!

Davina · August 6, 2012 8:18 am

Find out more here:

www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty

SusiGo · August 6, 2012 8:30 am

Thanks very much for the link, Davina

hypergreenfrog · August 6, 2012 12:04 pm

Thanks for the link, very interesting. I am amazed to see that the phrase "all the kings horses" was not in the original version of the poem, as I have always thought that a little odd - ever seen a horse attempt to glue together an egg?
There is a hilarious cartoon by Gary Larson about that line, but unfortunately I cannot upload anything from here. Will try from home in the evening...

Sherlockita · August 15, 2012 8:55 am

Belonging to India..this poem is very much a part of my childhood too.. In fact every Indian's..

Sentimental Pulse · August 26, 2012 10:37 pm

Mattlocked wrote:
Oh wait..... I'll show you my latest interpretation of Humpty Dumpty.
Now sitting on a fence in the garden - hopefully it will NOT fall into pieces!

Didn't know that Moriarty used a quote from that poem, though..

Mattlocked so you are telling us you go for men that are eggheads? Me too,,that is why i like Mycroft as a dating prospect

Sherlock Holmes · August 27, 2012 1:42 pm

Nursery rhymes...
Fairy tales...

Kind of a running theme of childrens stuff.

Davina · August 27, 2012 2:40 pm

KIDnapping.

Jammeez · September 27, 2012 1:02 am

I feel like Watson; I watched the show, but missed everything! Reading all your posts, here and other threads, there are so many references to various fairy tales. I caught the Dumpty reference when Moriarty quoted it, but didn't put it with the fall later on. I was very aware of the apple message, but didn't hook it with the fairy tale theme. I think I got all the Hansel and Gretel nods, but they were by far the most heavy-handed.

I'm grieving for Moriarty! He was so much fun to hate.

sherlockian111 · January 24, 2013 2:15 am

Well, Moriaty is a kid in a way, so all these references to nursery rymes and fairytales sort of do fit in. It also makes Moriaty all the more terrifying

Lelli · February 7, 2013 5:44 pm

I myself am a huge fan of alices adventures in wonderland an through the looking glass <3
so when i watched TRF again my mind was blown ^^
but it also hurt... Because of the "fall" thing in the poem... So it was sort of bitter...
i think this also refers to mycroft being so important in the brittisch government, so he is almost as much as all the kings men.
The following days i couldnt get the rhyme out of my head... X)

erunyauve · February 8, 2013 11:30 am

sherlockian111 wrote:
Well, Moriaty is a kid in a way, so all these references to nursery rymes and fairytales sort of do fit in. It also makes Moriaty all the more terrifying

It also lends support to a theory someone posted in another thread, that Richard Brooks is Moriarty's real identity. When he's not turning people into shoes, he reads stories to children.

February 20, 2013 10:13 am

It is an on-going theme of "Sherlock" constantly scratching at the fourth wall:
1895; people what people. Make believe. The writers are playing with fiktion and reality. I'm a fake. Nobody could be that clever.
Fairytales become true; the Geek Interpreter=comic books become true. I recommend reading the blog entry of the Geek Interpreter and Sherlock's way of thinking.
Through a Looking-Glass is possibly a clue: Walking through a mirror is like breaking the fourth wall. You can't kill an idea. Doyle couldn't kill Holmes either because he has found a home in the heads and hearts of readers. As long as we watch "Sherlock" and read "Sherlock Holmes" he is kind of alive. Our Sherlock is famous for breaking boundaries, isn't he?

crazybbcamerican · February 20, 2013 12:16 pm

Be wrote:
It is an on-going theme of "Sherlock" constantly scratching at the fourth wall:
1895; people what people. Make believe. The writers are playing with fiktion and reality. I'm a fake. Nobody could be that clever.
Fairytales become true; the Geek Interpreter=comic books become true. I recommend reading the blog entry of the Geek Interpreter and Sherlock's way of thinking.
Through a Looking-Glass is possibly a clue: Walking through a mirror is like breaking the fourth wall. You can't kill an idea. Doyle couldn't kill Holmes either because he has found a home in the heads and hearts of readers. As long as we watch "Sherlock" and read "Sherlock Holmes" he is kind of alive. Our Sherlock is famous for breaking boundaries, isn't he?

Yes. This. Precisely. We are aware of the fairytale, but it has grown into reality in our hearts and minds. We have a definite precept of a character(s) that never existed in real life, but who have lead us across bridges, into back alleys, and out into the moors that we might not ever have the chance to experience in our own lives. Lead on, Sherlock!