Old Mother Hubbard Lyrics

Written by Sarah Catherine Martin and published in 1805. The rhyme follows Old Mother Hubbard and her dog in a series of comical verses. Best for ages 3–7. The endlessly extending narrative — the cupboard is bare, the dog is dead, the dog is laughing — is one of the earliest examples of absurdist humor children encounter, and the unexpected reversals are exactly the kind of surprise that builds the foundation for higher-level reading comprehension. Read it through once for the story, then again with your child predicting each turn. For more humor-rich rhymes, see [best funny and silly stories](/blog/best-funny-silly-stories).

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone.
But when she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker's
To buy him some bread,
But when she came back
The poor dog was dead.

She went to the joiner's
To buy him a coffin,
But when she came back
The poor dog was laughing.