# Old Mother Hubbard

"Old Mother Hubbard" was published by Sarah Catherine Martin in 1805 and became a runaway bestseller; the famous first verse, about a bare cupboard and a hungry dog, opens a much longer comic tale.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Sarah Catherine Martin |
| First known | 1805 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/old-mother-hubbard/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To get her poor dog a bone.
When she got there
The cupboard was bare
So the poor little dog had none.

## Common questions

**Who wrote "Old Mother Hubbard"?**

Sarah Catherine Martin (1768–1826) published the first version in 1805, as "The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her Dog". A slightly older form of the rhyme may have existed before her — one writer recalled it from her own infancy decades earlier — but Martin's is the version that took hold.

**Is the verse we all know the whole rhyme?**

No — it is only the opening. Martin's book runs to many more verses of comic adventures, in which the dog does increasingly absurd things, but the first verse, with the bare cupboard, is the part that everyone remembers.

**Why was "Old Mother Hubbard" so popular?**

It was a publishing sensation. The book sold so well that rival publishers rushed out pirated copies, sequels and imitations all through the 19th century, and it went on to inspire pantomimes and countless spin-offs.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Old Mother Hubbard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Mother_Hubbard)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7084562