# Little Bo Peep

"Little Bo-Peep" is an English nursery rhyme, written down by about 1805, about a shepherdess who loses her sheep and is told to leave them be — they will find their own way home.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | c. 1805 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/little-bo-peep/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them.

## Common questions

**How old is "Little Bo-Peep"?**

The earliest manuscript is from around 1805, and it was first printed in 1810 in "Gammer Gurton's Garland". The tune usually sung was written down by James William Elliott in 1870.

**Does "Little" mean she is a child?**

Not necessarily. In the rhyme "little" refers to Bo-Peep being small in stature rather than young. The phrase "to play bo-peep" is much older — it goes back to the 14th century — and originally had nothing to do with sheep.

**What is the rest of the story?**

In the fuller version Bo-Peep falls asleep hoping to find her flock, and when she does find the sheep she discovers their tails have come off and been hung on a tree to dry — a nod to the real practice of docking lambs' tails.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Little Bo-Peep](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Bo-Peep)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6649200