# Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

"Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" is an English nursery rhyme in print since about 1744, sung to the same French melody as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"; the popular idea that it hides a medieval wool tax has no historical evidence.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | c. 1744 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/baa-baa-black-sheep/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full.
One for my master, one for my dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full.

## Common questions

**How old is "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep"?**

It first appears in print around 1744, in "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book", with wording very close to the version sung today — which makes it one of the oldest English nursery rhymes still in common use.

**Why does "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" sound like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"?**

Because it is the same tune. The melody is a variant of the 18th-century French air "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman", which also carries "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and the alphabet song. Those words and this melody were first printed together in 1879.

**Is the rhyme really about a medieval wool tax?**

There is no evidence for it. The idea was suggested in 1930, and a later claim tied the rhyme to the slave trade, but historians have found nothing to support either reading. The rhyme is most simply about a sheep, its wool, and who gets a share of it.

**Why a black sheep?**

One practical explanation is that black wool was valued because it could be made into dark cloth without dyeing. Beyond that, the rhyme is a plain little exchange — a question, an answer, and three bags full.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Baa, Baa, Black Sheep](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baa,_Baa,_Black_Sheep)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q552300