The story
From its use in counting or choosing games, especially those used to divine the profession of a future sweetheart ("tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor…").
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
tinker tailor grass
Today it means: Any of several types of grass-like plant having individual ears or seeds, especially ryegrass (genus Lolium), or ribwort plantain (genus Plantago). Full definition →