Historical Background

“Jack Be Nimble,” first published in 1798, is reputed to refer to Black Jack, a notorious English pirate from the late sixteenth century. The rhyme is also associated with candle leaping, a traditional English sport, as well as a form of fortune telling. As a sport, candle leaping was an adaptation of the older game of jumping over fires, the latter having gone out of fashion due to its substantial dangers. As a tool for fortune telling, the festivities of St. Catherine’s Day were concluded with the tradition of jumping over candlesticks. If the light was not extinguished, good luck was thought to prosper the following year.