This is a case of life imitating art or nursery rhymes if we've ever heard one. (Via Flickr / Luis Miguel Justino)
On Saturday in Turner, Oregon, a statue of nursery rhyme character Humpty Dumpty took a tumble off a wall at the Enchanted Forest amusement park. (via KOIN)
"Two men tried to climb up for a picture with the sculpture. They accidentally pulled the wall down and Humpty down with it." (via KOIN)
The Enchanted Forest was created, built and opened by Korean War veteran Roger Tofte in 1971. The company's Facebook account recounted Humpty's demise, "A sad day at EF! Hopefully we can put him together again! (Thankfully, no one was hurt, except Humpty)." (via Facebook / Enchanted Forest)
Tofte crafted the idea and the majority of the park himself with help from his wife, four children and friends when he realized that there wasn't very much for a family to see and do in the area. Construction began in 1964, with Tofte repairing watches on the side to pay for loans and building materials. (via Enchanted Forest)
Tofte, now 84 years old, told KOIN about rebuilding the structure: “It’s going to take a few hours to start from scratch again,” but he said he has “some creative juices left.”
It may have been a sad day for the Enchanted Forest, parkgoers and Tofte, but some news outlets took the chance to make some easy puns.
The Oregonian noted "Calls to Mother Goose were not immediately returned."
KTVB also joined in, writing, "All the king's horses and all the king's men may be required for this repair job."
If you're unfamiliar with the nursery rhyme, it goes something like this: "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 together again."
But here's another interesting fact: did you notice that nowhere in the rhyme is Humpty Dumpty referred to as an egg?
Leading theories suggest that "Humpty Dumpty" was actually a cannon used during the English Civil War in 1648 during the seige of Colchester. The cannon apparently fell off a battlement and was unable to be saved...much like our egg-shaped friend. (via Knowledge Nuts)
It wasn't until 1872, when Lewis Carroll illustrated Humpty Dumpty in his book Through the Looking Glass, that Humpty came to life as an egg. (via Today I Found Out)
The park posted again Sunday, explaining the situation, and noting the piece was original art by Tofte from when the park first opened.
See more at newsy.com.
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