"Three Little Kittens" is an English language nursery rhyme, probably with roots in the British folk tradition. The rhyme as published today however is a sophisticated piece usually attributed to American poet Eliza Lee Cabot Follen (1787–1860). With the passage of time, the poem has been absorbed into the Mother Goose collection. The rhyme tells of three kittens who first lose, then find and soil, their mittens. When all is finally set to rights, the kittens receive their mother's approval and some pie. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 16150.
The poem was published in England in 1827 in a mock review by William Ewart Gladstone, writing as Bartholomew Bouverie, in The Eton Miscellany.[1]
A version was later published in 1833 as an anonymous addition to a volume of Follen's verse and in the United States in 1843. Follen may have developed and refined an existing, rude version of the poem, and, in the process, made it her own. The poem is a sophisticated production that avoids the typical moralization of 19th century children's literature in favour of anthropomorphic fantasy, satirical nonsense, and word play.
Illustration of the rhyme from 1874The kittens playing in the garden, an illustration from 1874
The cat and her kittens They put on their mittens, To eat a Christmas pie. The poor little kittens They lost their mittens, And then they began to cry.
"O mother dear, we sadly fear We cannot go to-day, For we have lost our mittens." "If it be so, ye shall not go, For ye are naughty kittens." [1]
From Gladstone, The Eton Miscellany (1827)
The three little kittens they lost their mittens, And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear Our mittens we have lost What? Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens! Then you shall have no pie. Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. We shall have no pie. Our mittens we have lost.
The three little kittens they found their mittens, And they began to smile, Oh, mother dear, see here, see here, Our mittens we have found What? Found your mittens, you good little kittens, And you shall have some pie. Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. We shall have some pie. Let us have some pie.
The three little kittens put on their mittens, And soon ate up the pie; Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear Our mittens we have soiled What? Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens! Then they began to sigh, Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. Our mittens we have soiled. Then they began to sigh.
The three little kittens they washed their mittens, And hung them out to dry; Oh! mother dear, look here, look here, Our mittens we have washed What? Washed your mittens, you good little kittens, But I smell a rat close by. Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. We smell a rat close by. Let's all have some pie. [2]
From Follen, New Nursery Songs for All Good Children (1843)
Backgroundedit
According to Janet Sinclair Gray, author of Race and Time, "Three Little Kittens" may have origins in the British folk tradition, but the poem as known today is a sophisticated production far removed from such origins. Gray supports her assertion by pointing out that the cats are not the barnyard felines of folk material but bourgeois domestic cats who eat pie and wear mittens. Gray observes that the mother cat's disciplinary measures and the kittens' need to report their movements to her are also indicators of a bourgeois status. "Three Little Kittens" is attributed to Bostonian Sunday school teacher and abolitionist, Eliza Lee Cabot Follen (1787–1860), a member of a prominent New England family and the author of the juvenile novel The Well-Spent Hour. Gray explains that "Kittens" is unlike any of Follen's typical poems, but also notes that Follen is just the sort of person who would write such a piece. It is unlikely Follen composed "Kittens" wholecloth, Gray believes, but rather far more likely that she developed and refined an existing but rude version of the piece. In doing so, she made the poem her own. Although Follen disclaimed authorship following the poem's first appearance in print, she continued to publish it under her name in succeeding years.[2][3]
The poem was printed in 1827 in The Eton Miscellany.[1] A later version was printed in 1833 in Britain in Follen's Little Songs for Little Boys and Girls. It was an addition to the volume and probably inserted by the publisher. In the introduction to a subsequent edition, Follen denied any hand in the poem's composition, but took it under her wing and claimed ownership as the poem passed through various reprints. The poem was first published in the United States in 1843 in Follen's New Nursery Songs for All Good Children. An 1856 American reprint was subtitled "A Cat's Tale, with Additions".[3][4]
Cuthbert Bede (pen name of Edward Bradley) published a prose version in his Fairy Fables (1857).[5] In 1858 R. M. Ballantyne published his prose version that elaborated Follen's poem in a volume of the Good Little Pig's Library. This version included a musical setting for Follen's poem.[6]
Receptionedit
"Three Little Kittens" was hugely popular and quickly absorbed into the Mother Goose collection. Unlike her female literary contemporaries who typically stressed moral edification in their children's pieces, Follen subordinated such edification in "Three Little Kittens" and emphasized fantasy involving anthropomorphic characters, verbal play, and satirical nonsense. The poem is considered a cornerstone in the shift from moral literature for children to romantic literature intended to amuse and entertain.[3][7]
^ abcW. E. Gladstone, The Eton Miscellany (Eton: 1827), p. 71.
^ abP. Hunt, ed., Children's Literature: An Anthology 1801-1902 (Oxford: Blackwell, 2001), p. 74.
^ abcJ. S. Gray, Race and Time: American Women's Poetics from Antislavery to Racial Modernity (Iowa City IA: University of Iowa Press, 2004), p. 192ff.
^I. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 256-7.
^Bede, Cuthbert (1857), "Three Little Kittens", Fairy Fables, Alfred Crowquill (illustr.), London: Richard Bentley, pp. 27–108
^Ballantyne, R. M. The History of the Three Little Kittens includes images of the first page, covers, and a music sheet.
^"Three Little Kittens". YouTube. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021.
External linksedit
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Three Little Kittens
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April 12, 2024
three, little, kittens, english, language, nursery, rhyme, probably, with, roots, british, folk, tradition, rhyme, published, today, however, sophisticated, piece, usually, attributed, american, poet, eliza, cabot, follen, 1787, 1860, with, passage, time, poem. Three Little Kittens is an English language nursery rhyme probably with roots in the British folk tradition The rhyme as published today however is a sophisticated piece usually attributed to American poet Eliza Lee Cabot Follen 1787 1860 With the passage of time the poem has been absorbed into the Mother Goose collection The rhyme tells of three kittens who first lose then find and soil their mittens When all is finally set to rights the kittens receive their mother s approval and some pie It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 16150 Three Little Kittens Illustration from Ballantyne s 1858 versionNursery rhymePublished1843Songwriter s Eliza Lee Cabot FollenThe poem was published in England in 1827 in a mock review by William Ewart Gladstone writing as Bartholomew Bouverie in The Eton Miscellany 1 A version was later published in 1833 as an anonymous addition to a volume of Follen s verse and in the United States in 1843 Follen may have developed and refined an existing rude version of the poem and in the process made it her own The poem is a sophisticated production that avoids the typical moralization of 19th century children s literature in favour of anthropomorphic fantasy satirical nonsense and word play Contents 1 Text 2 Background 3 Publication 4 Reception 5 See also 6 Notes 7 External linksText edit nbsp Illustration of the rhyme from 1874 nbsp The kittens playing in the garden an illustration from 1874The cat and her kittens They put on their mittens To eat a Christmas pie The poor little kittens They lost their mittens And then they began to cry O mother dear we sadly fear We cannot go to day For we have lost our mittens If it be so ye shall not go For ye are naughty kittens 1 From Gladstone The Eton Miscellany 1827 The three little kittens they lost their mittens And they began to cry Oh mother dear we sadly fearOur mittens we have lost What Lost your mittens you naughty kittens Then you shall have no pie Mee ow mee ow mee ow We shall have no pie Our mittens we have lost The three little kittens they found their mittens And they began to smile Oh mother dear see here see here Our mittens we have found What Found your mittens you good little kittens And you shall have some pie Mee ow mee ow mee ow We shall have some pie Let us have some pie The three little kittens put on their mittens And soon ate up the pie Oh mother dear we greatly fearOur mittens we have soiled What Soiled your mittens you naughty kittens Then they began to sigh Mee ow mee ow mee ow Our mittens we have soiled Then they began to sigh The three little kittens they washed their mittens And hung them out to dry Oh mother dear look here look here Our mittens we have washed What Washed your mittens you good little kittens But I smell a rat close by Mee ow mee ow mee ow We smell a rat close by Let s all have some pie 2 From Follen New Nursery Songs for All Good Children 1843 Background editAccording to Janet Sinclair Gray author of Race and Time Three Little Kittens may have origins in the British folk tradition but the poem as known today is a sophisticated production far removed from such origins Gray supports her assertion by pointing out that the cats are not the barnyard felines of folk material but bourgeois domestic cats who eat pie and wear mittens Gray observes that the mother cat s disciplinary measures and the kittens need to report their movements to her are also indicators of a bourgeois status Three Little Kittens is attributed to Bostonian Sunday school teacher and abolitionist Eliza Lee Cabot Follen 1787 1860 a member of a prominent New England family and the author of the juvenile novel The Well Spent Hour Gray explains that Kittens is unlike any of Follen s typical poems but also notes that Follen is just the sort of person who would write such a piece It is unlikely Follen composed Kittens wholecloth Gray believes but rather far more likely that she developed and refined an existing but rude version of the piece In doing so she made the poem her own Although Follen disclaimed authorship following the poem s first appearance in print she continued to publish it under her name in succeeding years 2 3 Publication edit nbsp Three Little Kittens source source Tune for Three Little Kittens Problems playing this file See media help The poem was printed in 1827 in The Eton Miscellany 1 A later version was printed in 1833 in Britain in Follen s Little Songs for Little Boys and Girls It was an addition to the volume and probably inserted by the publisher In the introduction to a subsequent edition Follen denied any hand in the poem s composition but took it under her wing and claimed ownership as the poem passed through various reprints The poem was first published in the United States in 1843 in Follen s New Nursery Songs for All Good Children An 1856 American reprint was subtitled A Cat s Tale with Additions 3 4 Cuthbert Bede pen name of Edward Bradley published a prose version in his Fairy Fables 1857 5 In 1858 R M Ballantyne published his prose version that elaborated Follen s poem in a volume of the Good Little Pig s Library This version included a musical setting for Follen s poem 6 Reception edit Three Little Kittens was hugely popular and quickly absorbed into the Mother Goose collection Unlike her female literary contemporaries who typically stressed moral edification in their children s pieces Follen subordinated such edification in Three Little Kittens and emphasized fantasy involving anthropomorphic characters verbal play and satirical nonsense The poem is considered a cornerstone in the shift from moral literature for children to romantic literature intended to amuse and entertain 3 7 See also editThe Milky Way 1940 film List of nursery rhymesNotes edit a b c W E Gladstone The Eton Miscellany Eton 1827 p 71 a b P Hunt ed Children s Literature An Anthology 1801 1902 Oxford Blackwell 2001 p 74 a b c J S Gray Race and Time American Women s Poetics from Antislavery to Racial Modernity Iowa City IA University of Iowa Press 2004 p 192ff I Opie and P Opie The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes Oxford Oxford University Press 1951 2nd edn 1997 pp 256 7 Bede Cuthbert 1857 Three Little Kittens Fairy Fables Alfred Crowquill illustr London Richard Bentley pp 27 108 Ballantyne R M The History of the Three Little Kittens includes images of the first page covers and a music sheet Three Little Kittens YouTube Archived from the original on 14 December 2021 External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Three Little Kittens nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Three little kittens Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Three Little Kittens amp oldid 1210701051, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
