Re: [HM] The Royal Oak

Ralph A. Raimi (rarm@math.rochester.edu)
Wed, 7 Apr 1999 14:38:28 -0400

I know the phrase "The Royal Oak" from Alexandre Dumas' *Louise de
la Valliere*, since it was an overheard conversation that took place on a
warm night under the Royal Oak (at Vaux, I believe) that generated the
love affair between the young Louis XIV and Louise de la Valliere. But I
can guarantee neither the conversation nor its connection with games of
chance.

On the other hand, I *can* assure you that expressions like "four
and twenty" were common in English (in America as well as England) as late
as the 19th Century, and are still vestigially present in children's
street chants, e.g.

Sing a song of sixpence,
Pocket full of rye;
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing;
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the king?

Ralph A. Raimi Tel. 716 275 4429 or (home) 716 244 9368
Dept. of Mathematics FAX 716 244 6631
University of Rochester Webpage http://www.math.rochester.edu/u/rarm
Rochester, NY 14627 (Webpage contains links to papers)