In 2005, the jack-in-the-box was inducted into the U.S. Many of those that use ' Pop Goes the Weasel' open at the point in the melody when the word 'pop' would be sung. Some jacks-in-the-box open at random times when cranked, making the startle even more effective. After the crank has been turned a sufficient number of times (such as at the end of the melody), the lid pops open and a figure, usually a clown or jester, pops out of the box. When the crank is turned, a music box mechanism in the toy plays a melody. A generic jack-in-the-box Two boys playing with a jack-in-the-box in an 1863 illustration Jack-in-the-box after Paul GavarniĪ jack-in-the-box is a children's toy that outwardly consists of a music box with a crank. For other uses, see Jack in the Box (disambiguation).
