# The Little Turtle

"The Little Turtle" is a much-loved children's poem by the American poet Vachel Lindsay, published in 1920, about a little turtle who snaps at a mosquito, a flea, a minnow — and the child — but catches everything except the child.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Vachel Lindsay |
| First known | 1920 (written 1918) |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/the-little-turtle/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

I had a little turtle.
He lived inside a box.
He swam in the water,
He climbed on the rocks.

### Verse 2 (en)

He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow,
And he snapped at me.

### Verse 3 (en)

He caught the mosquito,
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow,
But he didn't catch me.

## Common questions

**What is "The Little Turtle" about?**

A pet turtle in a box. He swims in the water and climbs on the rocks, and snaps at a mosquito, a flea, a minnow — and even at the child who owns him. He catches the mosquito, the flea and the minnow, but (the happy twist) he doesn't catch the child.

**Who wrote "The Little Turtle"?**

The American poet Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931). He wrote it around 1918 for a three-year-old, Martha Wakefield, and published it in 1920 in his book "The Golden Whales of California and Other Rhymes in the American Language".

**Is "The Little Turtle" a poem or a song?**

It began as a poem, written to be recited, but its strong repeating rhythm makes it easy to sing or chant, and it is widely used as an action rhyme — with children snapping their hands like the turtle's mouth.

## Sources

- [Poetry Foundation — The Little Turtle by Vachel Lindsay](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44619/the-little-turtle)