Mary Had a Little Lamb
Languages: English, French
Ressource Type: song, nursery rhyme
Themes: animal, school
Age-range: PreK, Kindergarten, 1st, Homeschool
Download the words of the song:
♦ Mary Had a Little Lamb Lyrics
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” is an American English language nursery rhyme. There are conflicting reports about who really wrote this fabulous rhyme. There are two Marys who claim to have written it. Sarah Hale of Boston published the poem in 1830. However, Mary Tyler claimed the poem was written by John Roulstone and she was the original Mary. The mystery still remains.
Grammar:
- using the past tense: had, was, went, followed, made, turned out, lingered, waited, cried, did reply.
- the possessive form “whose“
- the simile “fleece was white as snow“
- pronoun references: it followed her to school one day
- “which” versus “that”: which was against the rule
- idiomatic expressions such as “turned it out“
- the placement of adjectives: little lamb, the eager children
English version:
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb
Mary had a little lamb
Whose fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went
Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
He followed her to school one day,
School one day, school one day
He 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,
He waited patiently about,
ly about, ly about,
He 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 cried.
“Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,”
lamb, you know,” lamb, you know,”
“Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,”
The teacher did reply.
French Translation:
Mary avait un petit agneau
Mary avait un petit agneau,
Petit agneau, petit agneau,
Mary avait un petit agneau,
Sa toison était blanche comme neige,
Et partout où allait Mary,
Allait Mary, allait Mary,
Et partout où allait Mary,
L’agneau ne manquait pas d’aller.
Un jour il la suivit jusqu’à l’école,
À l’école un jour, à l’école un jour,
Un jour il la suivit jusqu’à l’école,
Ce qui était contre le règlement.
Cela fit rire et jouer les enfants,
Rire et jouer, rire et jouer,
Cela fit rire et jouer les enfants,
De voir un agneau à l’école.
Et le maître le mit dehors
Le mit dehors, le mit dehors
Et le maître le mit dehors
Il resta aux abords
Et il attendit patiemment
Patiemment, patiemment
Il attendit patiemment
Que Marie sorte des rangs
“Pourquoi l’agneau aime tant Marie
Tant Marie, tant Marie
Pourquoi l’agneau aime tant Marie ?”
Demandèrent les petits.
“Vous savez, Marie aime l’agneau
Aime l’agneau, aime l’agneau
Vous savez, Marie aime l’agneau”
Le maître répondit.
