3 ms·

Looking at your link this may not be the original cause, but I always thought the purpose was to make it correctly fit the meter (sung to the tune of "Twinkle T

by Jap2-0 6y ago

Looking at your link this may not be the original cause, but I always thought the purpose was to make it correctly fit the meter (sung to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" - or the tune of the alphabet song). "Do you have" or "Have you got" are both one syllable too long.

Symbiote 6y ago
I think it was standard English when the rhyme was made. I perceive it as more polite than "have you got" or "do you have". (Native English English speaker.)
- Jap2-0 6y ago
  As a native non-English English speaker, I can see that. (Thinking it in an English accent helps.)