Origins
The rhyme is first recorded by Alice Gomme in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland (1894-8). It is a variant of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush", with which it shares a tune and closing line.
Nuts are not gathered in England in May, however, Conopodium majus is commonly called pignut, groundnut etc. and would be in season in May. This was commonly gathered by children as it grows under the ground and is sparse, meaning that it was not a viable food source to be gathered in quantities by adults. It is also possible that the lyrics could be a corruption of "knots of may", referring to the blossom of the common hawthorn.
Read more about this topic: Nuts In May (rhyme)
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