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Mary’s Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale A much-loved children’s poem, even if most of us struggle to remember more than a few lines.

1830

King William IV 1830-1837

Music: Ernest Tomlinson

A lamb on Chillerton Down, Isle of Wight.

Mary’s Lamb

Sarah Hale was an American novelist, poet, magazine editor and literary critic, who campaigned vigorously against slavery and for the employment and education of women (she helped found Vassar College). A great believer in women as ‘God’s appointed agent of morality’, Hale saw the homemaker as crucial to the happiness of the nation. Her collection of Poems for Our Children (1830) included ‘Mary’s Lamb’.

by Sarah Josepha Hale 1788-1879

Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow,
And every where that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go;
He followed her to school one day —
That was against the rule,
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.

And so the Teacher turned him out,
But still he lingered near,
And waited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear;
And then he ran to her, and laid
His head upon her arm,
As if he said ‘I’m not afraid —
You’ll keep me from all harm.’

‘What makes the lamb love Mary so?’
The eager children cry —
‘O, Mary loves the lamb, you know,’
The Teacher did reply;—
‘And you each gentle animal
In confidence may bind,
And make them follow at your call,
If you are always kind.’

Précis

Mrs Hale’s much-loved children’s verse tells how a pet lamb followed little Mary to school, only to be turned out by the teacher. Seeing the lamb waiting patiently for school to end, the teacher’s heart was melted, and as the children clustered round she drew the moral that any creature will gladly be tied by the bonds of simple kindness. (60 / 60 words)

Suggested Music

Sweet and Dainty

Ernest Tomlinson (1924-2015)

Performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Murray Khouri.

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How To Use This Passage

You can use this passage to help improve your command of English.

IRead it aloud, twice or more. IISummarise it in one sentence of up to 30 words. IIISummarise it in one paragraph of 40-80 words. IVMake notes on the passage, and reconstruct the original from them later on. VJot down any unfamiliar words, and make your own sentences with them later. VIMake a note of any words that surprise or impress you, and ask yourself what meaning they add to the words you would have expected to see. VIITurn any old-fashioned English into modern English. VIIITurn prose into verse, and verse into prose. IXAsk yourself what the author is trying to get you to feel or think. XHow would an artist or a photographer capture the scene? XIHow would a movie director shoot it, or a composer write incidental music for it?

For these and more ideas, see How to Use The Copy Book.

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