Mary Had a Little Lamb

"Mary Had a Little Lamb" is a popular nursery rhyme with a simple and memorable melody. It has become a classic children's song and is often one of the first rhymes taught to young children. The rhyme tells the story of a girl named Mary and her little lamb. Here are the traditional lyrics:
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Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb,
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
Mary went, Mary went,
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
School one day, school one day,
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule.
It made the children laugh and play,
Laugh and play, laugh and play,
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,
Turned it out, turned it out,
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near.
And waited patiently about,
Patiently about, patiently about,
And waited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear.
"Why does the lamb love Mary so?"
Love Mary so? Love Mary so?
"Why does the lamb love Mary so?"
The eager children cry.
"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,"
Loves the lamb, you know, loves the lamb, you know,
"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,"
The teacher did reply.
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The rhyme was based on an actual incident involving Mary Elizabeth Sawyer, a young girl from Sterling, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century. In 1830, Mary's pet lamb followed her to school, and this event inspired Sarah Josepha Hale to write the poem. The poem was later set to music by Lowell Mason, and it became widely popular.
"Mary Had a Little Lamb" is known for its repetitive and rhythmic structure, making it easy for children to memorize and sing along. It has been adapted and recorded by various artists over the years and remains a staple in early childhood education. The nursery rhyme introduces young children to basic concepts like rhyme, rhythm, and storytelling in a simple and engaging way.
Category:Songs
Category:Nursery Rhymes