song was written by Rose Bonne There was an old lady who swallowed a fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a spider; That wriggled and wiggled and tickled inside her! She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a bird; How absurd to swallow a bird! She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a cat; Fancy that to swallow a cat! She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady that swallowed a dog; What a hog, to swallow a dog! She swallowed the dog to catch the cat, She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a goat; She just opened her throat and swallowed a goat! She swallowed the goat to catch the dog, She swallowed the dog to catch the cat, She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a cow; I don't know how she swallowed a cow! She swallowed the cow to catch the goat, She swallowed the goat to catch the dog, She swallowed the dog to catch the cat, She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die! There was an old lady who swallowed a horse...;
...She's dead, of course!
Growing up, this was my favorite nursery rhyme that has been transformed over years into a song. This book by Simms Taback brought plenty smiles and confusion to children everywhere, me included. This song told a story of an old lady who swallows a variety of animals that increase in size. Throughout time the phrasing of words by different authors who have retold the story has changed, but the moral insanity has still stayed the same. As a child, I thought it was strange that an old woman would swallow a fly, bird, or cat but when the items begin to get bigger like a dog, goat and cow, I could not believe the absurd scenarios that were being displayed in the text. As the story comes to an end, the last item the old woman swallows is a horse, and the premise of the whole story comes to light, she finally dies. The conclusion appeals to a child rational understanding because it is not rational for someone to eat something physically bigger than them, which makes the book full of suspense and amusement.