Five Little Monkeys

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"Five Little Monkeys" is an English language folk song and fingerplay. It is usually accompanied by a sequence of gestures that mimic the words of the song. Each successive verse sequentially counts down from the starting number.[1]


Lyrics

One version of the song runs:

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,

One fell off and bumped his head,

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more jumping on the bed!"


Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,

One fell off and bumped his head,

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more jumping on the bed!"


Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,

One fell off and bumped his head,

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more jumping on the bed!"


Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,

One fell off and bumped his head,

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more jumping on the bed!"


One little monkey jumping on the bed,

He fell off and bumped his head,

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more jumping on the bed!"


History

The rhyme was written by noted American songwriter Septimus Winner in 1864 (or 1868) and performed at minstrel shows. It was then adapted in 1869 by Frank J. Green as Ten Little Niggers and became a standard of the blackface minstrel shows in England and America.[2] The song has similar lyrics and tune to the first verse of the 1890s folk song "Shortnin' Bread" as it was derived from it. [3]

References