It was believed in days gone-by that a child’s temperament could be influenced by the day of the week it was born. The following old poem was designed to teach children the days of the week and is one of many old fortune-telling poems illustrating a traditional belief in the planetary link between the days of the week, a child’s personality and what fate had in store for them. There are variations of the poem. I will use the one I know, taught to me in primary school in Scotland where the word ‘bonnie’ is commonly used – I still use it myself! It is worth remembering that the meaning of words change over the years so planetary links are not always apparent. A good dictionary is also a useful tool for astrologers. Some words have a totally different meaning nowadays so bear this in mind as you read the poem.
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonnie and blithe, and good and gay.
Monday
Fair obviously refers to beauty but since the moon reflects the light of the sun it’s a less robust kind of beauty, it’s fairer, pleasing, rather than the knockout variety. Fair means just and free from bias but the word fair is also linked to auspiciousness and good fortune. So, according to the rhyme, anyone born on Monday will have a pleasing countenance, a balanced view and have a lucky life. The moon is the ruler of our emotions and the non-rational mind of our gut reactions and intuition, neither of which are necessarily based on established fact. So it’s just as well that these children have a bit of luck on their side. The moon is hidden under the sun’s beams at the time of a new moon, becoming visible in the sky as a thin crescent after a few days later. Being the lesser light it is fitting that the moon governs the day after the sun’s day of Sunday. This reflects the Thema Mundi where both the sun and moon’s domiciles and exaltations are adjacent.
Tuesday
Full of grace from a day ruled by mars? It seems like a contradiction for mars is the god of war. But the drive of the battlefield mars is equally useful in daily life as in warfare. In both instances, attack and aggression can be planned. Our physical energy and enthusiasm can be channelled in various ways. Athletes, dancers, acrobats and those who perform their daily physical tasks with precision and dexterity, like the village blacksmith or a stonemason, have one thing in common. They are bodily fit with well practised skills at their disposal. Smoothness of movement and effortless dexterity is second nature to them. Mars joys in the 6th house of drudgery, slavery and hard work so practise truly does make perfect. These finely honed physical skills are the product of controlled physical strength and stamina. This is why Tuesday’s child is full of grace. They say that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and this will give the individual the attractive qualities of good manners and a sense of appropriateness and decency that make this child full of grace.
Wednesday
Full of woe nowadays refers to grief, bemoaning and bewailing one’s lot in life. In the past these attributes were normally linked to having a lot of responsibilities, challenges and a liabilities brought about by managing the affairs of others. As mercury governs this mid-week day he is appropriately sandwiched between the other planets, exactly where a scribe or messenger should be for mercury was messenger of the gods and at their service. Mercury is the ruler of our rational mind and intellect so it is well suited to tasks of this kind, channelling them to the matter at hand with precision and excellence. In mythology it was believed that mercury could be mischievous. A heavy burden would kept mercury constantly occupied with no free time to do as he pleased, hence he was full of woe. Mercury joys in the first house which has general signification over the head and its contents which includes the brain.
Thursday
This child has far to go and this brings to mind long journeys to foreign places. It seems as if this kid has hit the jackpot! But until recent times most people didn’t travel far from their home town, village or hamlet unless on a religious pilgrimage. These were quite common in Medieval times. Apart from the religious aspect, travel gives people the opportunity to meet and experience new people, new cultures and the realisation there was something beyond their ken. This can be paralleled with religion. Travel does indeed broaden the mind. However travel can also be internal and might involve study and contemplation for it is via knowledge that we better ourself. We gain a greater understanding of the world, a positive trait that can take us far in life. Jupiter and his benefic nature enriches us bringing us closer to the Divine plan. However, the road to enlightenment is a long one and we will have far to go before we reach our journey’s end, if we ever do.
Friday
This day is governed by venus, traditionally the lesser benefic and the goddess of love, beauty and harmony. Venus is all about pleasure, particularly pleasures that are shared. This may give Friday its feel good factor. It was believed to be a good day for meeting friends and for courting. However, Friday wasn’t all plain sailing being considered a very unfortunate day. It was a particularly bad day to set sail and it was also traditional to hang criminals on a Friday and we still talk of Friday the 13th. Friday then had positive and negative associations for it was believed that Eve tempted Adam with an apple on this day. Since venus rules our flesh and our passion nature it’s an explosive combination and there is risk of being carried away. The rhyme gives indications for moderation. Friday’s child is loving and giving rather than being loved and given to. This child could be exploited, easily taken advantage of. It is worth keeping in mind that venus joys in the 5th house of the Thema Mundi, the house of pleasure.
Saturday
This child will work hard for a living and this child initially seems to have drawn the short straw, getting a raw deal. As saturn is the greater malefic we wouldn’t expect anything saturn promises to be a breeze. But It’s worth bearing in mind that in olden days working hard was seen as a virtue, a positive trait. Hard work requires self discipline and a realistic outlook. By looking back over a completed job well done, we get a sense of achievement and fulfilment, developing a sense of fortitude and self confidence. These are highly desirable skills that provide a solid foundation upon which to build a life. Nowadays in our ‘why wait’ culture, avoidance of hard work is encouraged. This is not a realistic way of life, neither is it productive. Our hard working forebears would tell us if they could that although Saturday’s child works hard for a living, they are richer for it.
Sunday
As the poem suggests this child is born with a sunny disposition. The word bonnie describes someone who is physically attractive and appealing. In bygone days a blithe person was thought of as a lighthearted soul, happy and without a care in the world but nowadays it has negative connotations like self-centred, thoughtless and even careless. The sun is at the centre of heaven and instills vitality and life with its rays. It rules our inner spiritual being so it was believed that children born under this benefic influence would both enshrine and reflect these same qualities giving these children a positive outlook in life and a generous nature.