Interesting question. Researching this important issue, I found that someone shares your curiosity on the Humpty/Egg merger. http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhumpty.html The nursery rhyme, as you note, never references Humpty Dumpty as an egg. The Humpty Dumpty rhyme, however, goes back to the early 1800's, and its focus was the then-popular characterization of a short, clumsy, person as a "humpty-dumpty.". Although now we hear about Humpty's misfortune only in the children's nursery rhyme... "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again". ...the original was in the form of a riddle. More from The Straight Dope: "According to Martin Gardner, in The Annotated Mother Goose, 'the Humpty Dumpty rhyme is a riddle. Riddling rhymes were a popular source of entertainment for many centuries.' " Mr. Gardner, however, failed to supply the verse in question. What was he thinking? Let's face it - even the unrevealed riddle demands an answer. To his credit, however, he did not disappoint a second time. He wrote: "The answer to the Humpty Dumpty riddle is, of course, 'an egg.' " Why, yes. Of course. An egg. What else in the known universe could it have been? And that's where the egg enters the illustration, so to speak. Answer-to-riddle met character-in-rhyme, and they lived happily ever after, as one...until the fateful Day of Breakage, anyway. A face, arms, and legs are a natural part of anthropomorphizing anything, including an egg. I just wonder why an egg-person would sit on a wall. Perhaps HD eschewed furniture, or even the great indoors. Surely, he was aware of his innate fragility. It's a sad story, really. What a waste. Obviously, none of the "Humpty's Great Fall" witnesses ever heard of Super Glue, but you'd think somebody could have come up with a roll of duct tape or some velcro for the cause. What was wrong with people back then, anyway? And here's something else: Exactly when did horses develop the manual dexterity and hoof/eye coordination necessary to put something together, much less back together? If all the king's men were counting on all the king's horses for help with that operation, no wonder Humpty Dumpty remained a mess. The humans were looking to the ancestors of Trigger and My Friend Flicka for advice?! His Majesty must have been so proud of that army. What a wacky kingdom. For more Humpty Dumpty stuff: http://www.rooneydesign.com/Humpty.html Thank you, lady fuschia, and everyone else, too!. I am honoured by your comments:).

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the Kings horses and all the Kings men, Couldn't put Humpty together again. Humpty Dumpty was a common nickname for a fat slob in the 1400's The fat, obese King, is compared to the fragile egg, which, when cracked, like virginity, is lost for ever. The analogy is vivid, with the equally vivid follow up. Once he falls, not all the Kings infantry or all the King's cavalry could ever resurrect him again. This jaunty little nursery rhyme told the story of the Kings unfortunate but much celebrated destiny. As a nursery rhyme it was sung with delight by the populace while the censors probably listened serenely, not knowing that it celebrated their extinction. This is supposed to refer to King Charles I, who was toppled by a majority of the members of parliament and was ultimately executed. The people prevailed over the King, even though the average man did not have the right to vote at that time. It yet celebrated the the diminution of the power of the Royal proclamation.. The "Puritans" had out voted him the King Parliament and finally ousted him from power. Another well accepted version is that "Humpty Dumpty" represented a powerful cannon the Royalists used to defend Colchester during the civil war between the Royalists and parliamentarians, in 1642-49 , The Royalists had captured and controlled the parliamentary stronghold of Colchester for 11 weeks The cannon was mounted atop the tower of St Mary's church in Colchester.. The parliamentarians succeeded in blowing the top of the tower off and the cannon came tumbling down. Neither the King's cavalry or the Kings infantry could put the cannon back together again. It symbolized the victory of the people's representatives over the King. Even though the average man did not have the vote at that time, it symbolized popular rule over Royal decree. By Wakeley Paul

Humpty Dumpty was a big gun/cannon.

i have no idea. and since he's an egg, Why is he sitting way up on a wall? and of all things to name someone or something, why Humpty Dumpty? stupid rhymes..

Humpty Dumpty didn't start out as an egg. It was added after its inception. Check this out. VERY INTERESTING. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty

Because and "elephant" was already taken by Dumbo

Most nusery rhymes are disturbing in one way or another, anthropomorphizing egg is just creepy.

because if he wasnt an egg how would he break for the kings horses and men to try to put him together again

That's a very good question! I can only imagine that it's because they couldnt put Humpty together again, which would mean he wasnt human or something....and the kings horses and all the kings men makes me think of soldiers, which you would have with an egg!