Mary had a Little Lamb Lyrics

The Mary had a Little Lamb lyrics were first published by a Boston publishing firm, as an original poem, written by Sarah Josepha Hale in 1830.

The rhyme was inspired by an actual incident when a girl named Mary Sawyer, from Sterling Massachusetts, took her pet lamb to school at the suggestion of her brother.

At school was a young man, named John Roulstone, who was studying in preparation for college. The young man thought it quite funny that the lamb was at school and the following day returned to the school, rhyme in hand, which he presented to Mary.

There are competing theories here. One claims that John Roulstone wrote the entire poem. Others state he is responsible for the first four lines and Sarah Josepha Hale wrote the rest.

Either way, it's fun for the kids and an easy rhyme for them to learn. It also produces quite a few chuckles since even small children know that lambs to do not belong at school.

Mary Had a Little Lamb Lyrics

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 rules.

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."
The lamb, you know, the lamb, you know,
"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,"
the teacher did reply.

Add extra fun to learning the rhyme with free printables:

Try a dot-to-dot to see where the lamb followed Mary to...

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Lots more fun for kids:

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