Ten Little Indians
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For other uses, see Ten Little Indians (disambiguation).
Ten Little Indians is a modern children's rhyme (sometimes "teddy bears" is used instead of Indians to avoid offense). The song, supra, is usually performed to the Irish folk tune Michael Finnegan.
[edit] History
The rhyme was notable for being the inspiration for Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None
The modern lyrics are believed to be public domain and are as follows:
- One little, two little, three little Indians
- Four little, five little, six little Indians
- Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians
- Ten little Indian boys.
- Ten little, nine little, eight little Indians
- Seven little, six little, five little Indians
- Four little, three little, two little Indians
- One little Indian boy.
The original piece, then called "10 Little Injuns", was written by songwriter Septimus Winner in the 1860's for a minstrel show and was much more elaborate.
- Ten little Injuns standin' in a line,
- One toddled home and then there were nine;
- Nine little Injuns swingin' on a gate,
- One tumbled off and then there were eight.
- One little, two little, three little, four little, five little Injun boys,
- Six little, seven little, eight little, nine little, ten little Injun boys.
- Eight little Injuns gayest under heav'n.
- One went to sleep and then there were seven;
- Seven little Injuns cuttin' up their tricks,
- One broke his neck and then there were six.
- Six little Injuns all alive,
- One kicked the bucket and then there were five;
- Five little Injuns on a cellar door,
- One tumbled in and then there were four.
- Four little Injuns up on a spree,
- One got fuddled and then there were three;
- Three little Injuns out on a canoe,
- One tumbled overboard and then there were two.
- Two little Injuns foolin' with a gun,
- One shot t'other and then there was one;
- One little Injun livin' all alone,
- He got married and then there were none.
There was another version of that song:
Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were Nine.
- Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were Eight.
- Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven.
- Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six.
- Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were Five.
- Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were Four.
- Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.
- Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were Two.
- Two Little Indian boys playing with a gun; One shot the other and then there was one.
- One little Indian boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.
