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The Grand Old Duke of York (Nursery Rhyme)

Summary

The nursery rhyme tells the story of a figure known as the Duke of York who leads a large group of soldiers. The soldiers are made to march up and down a hill, emphasizing the repetitive and somewhat futile nature of their actions. The verses humorously describe their movements with simple and rhythmic language, portraying how the soldiers' positions change in relation to the hill — being 'up' when on the top, 'down' when at the bottom, and neither when in the middle. This classic rhyme is often used to teach children about direction and movement through its repetitive and engaging structure.

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Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

When they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only halfway up,
They were neither up nor down.

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