where did the saying sticks and stones come from
Sticks and Stones It is reported[1] to have appeared in The Christian Recorder of March 1862, a publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where it is presented as an "old adage" in this form:
William Edward Hickson The proverb can be traced back to the writings of Thomas H. Palmer in his Teacher's Manual, and The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat.[3]
Matthew 7:7–8 The common English expression "Seek and Ye Shall Find" is derived from this verse.
Rabbit rabbit rabbit The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it was recorded in Notes and Queries as being said by children in 1909: