May 24 – “Mary Had a Little Lamb” Published

nPostednMay 24, 2015

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Therenreally was a Mary who took a lamb to school!

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nThengirl’s name was Mary Sawyer (no record of the pet lamb’s name), andnshe took her pet to school at the suggestion of her brother.nApparently, the lamb did cause commotion in the classroom! n

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nThisnhappened some time in the early 1800s, in the town of Sterling, Massachusetts.

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nAnyoung man named John Roulstone was studying with his uncle and sawnthe lamb-at-school incident. Some people say that he was so pleasednby it that he wrote these lines and gave them to Mary the day afternher lamb’s visit:

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nMarynhad a little lamb,
Hisnfleece was white as snow,
Andneverywhere that Mary went,
Thenlamb was sure to go.

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Hale was a writer and editor.

nLaterna woman named Sarah Josepha Hale added three more verses to thensimple ditty and published the poem on this date in 1830. (Somenpeople say that Hale wrote the entire poem, and Roulstone – thoughnhe had been there for the lamb’s visit – had nothing to do with thenpoem.) Here is the rest of the poem:

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Henfollowed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule,
Itnmade the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.

Andnso the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near,
Andnwaited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear.

“Whyndoes the lamb love Mary so?”
The eager children cry.
“Why,nMary loves the lamb, you know.”
The teacher did reply.

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Anmusician later set the nursery rhyme to a tune and created a song.nAfter that, two different blues musicians popularized the song. Famedninventor Thomas Edison recorded the poem on his newly inventednphonograph – actually, it was the very first recorded versenanywhere in the world! At some point since the poem was published,nthe town of Sterling put up a statue representing Mary’s Little Lambnin the town center.

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nDoesnit seem surprising to you that such a simple little poem and song cannbecome and stay so famous? I think I am surprised by the facts thatn(1) it’s American, not British (I think I thought it was a lot oldernthan it is), and (2) it’s based on a real incident.

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nAlsonon this date:

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