What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails and puppy dogs tails
that's what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and all things nice
that's what little girls are made of.
This poem is from the early 19th century and is a quite blatant stereotyping of male and female roles in society at the time(and perhaps even now still.)
It is part of a larger work called "What is the world made of" and goes on to say
What are young men made of, made of?
What are young men made of?
Sighs and leers and crocodile tears;
That's what young men are made of.
What are young women made of, made of?
What are young women made of?
Rings and jings and other fine things;
That's what young women are made of.
What are our fathers made of, made of?
What are our fathers made of?
Pipes and smoke and collars choke;
That's what our fathers are made of.
What are our mothers made of, made of?
What are our mothers made of?
Ribbons and laces and sweet pretty faces;
That's what our mothers are made of.
It definitely shaped my own early opinions of boys and girls. I thought I was a princess and acted accordingly, and forgave little boys their flaws because it was predisposed to them. I might be that way too had I the same ingredients.
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