Little Bo-Peep
Quick Answer
Little Bo-Peep cries because she thinks her sheep have lost their tails. A mysterious old woman leads her on a long search—until Bo-Peep learns sheep never had tails like that in the first place.
Why This Story Works for Bedtime
It turns worry into relief with a gentle twist ending. Great for bedtime because it models calming down, checking facts, and letting go of an anxious thought.
Story at a Glance
RECOMMENDED AGES
7-11 years
READING TIME
14 min
Story Synopsis
Little Bo-Peep sits on a hill with her crook and a flock of sheep. But instead of feeling peaceful, she is upset—she believes her sheep have lost their tails. She weeps and calls and searches, certain something important is missing. An odd old woman appears and gives a confident answer: the sheep will come home “wagging their tails behind them.” Hopeful, Bo-Peep stops crying and waits. The sheep do return, safe and calm—but Bo-Peep cannot see any tails. Confused, she keeps looking. Day after day, Bo-Peep wanders over fields and hills, peering into bushes and along fences. Now and then she thinks she has found the missing tails—long, white tails hanging on a tree—but when she reaches for them, she discovers they belong to the old woman’s white cats. At last the old woman admits she was teaching Bo-Peep a lesson. Sheep don’t have long tails to lose; they only have little stumps. Bo-Peep’s worry loosens, and she walks home more thoughtful, ready to watch her flock with steadier eyes.
Story Excerpt
On the soft rolling hills of Sussex many sheep liked to nibble the sweet green grass Shepherds and shepherdesses watched over them every day In a little cottage at the foot of a hill lived a mother and her little girl The mother was a shepherdess Each morning she took her crook and walked out with her flock The little girl went too She would sit on a grassy mound close beside her mother and watch the lambs and ewes Little by little she learned how to care for them As time passed the mother grew old and tired One day she could not go up the hill anymore So the little girl said very bravely I can do it I can watch the sheep Everyone called her Little Bo Peep She was small with nut brown hair and big gray eyes She wore a simple gray dress with a pink sash and pink ribbons in her hair The other shepherds on the hills knew her and if she ever needed help they were ready Each morning Bo Peep led her sheep to the side of a high hill above the cottage The sheep ate the rich grass Bo Peep sat on her mound set her crook and her wide straw hat beside her and sewed…
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In One Glance
Bo-Peep believes her sheep have lost their tails and spends days searching, encouraged by an old woman’s teasing promise that they’ll return “wagging their tails.” The sheep come home safe, but Bo-Peep keeps mistaking cat tails for sheep tails. The old woman finally explains that sheep don’t have tails like that—Bo-Peep was worrying over something that was never real. Bo-Peep goes home calmer and wiser.
Frequently Asked Questions
A shepherd girl worries her sheep lost their tails and learns she was mistaken.
Check facts before you panic; sometimes we worry about things that aren’t true.
Ages 4–8.
No—there’s only gentle confusion and a reassuring ending.
They’re part of the twist that helps Bo-Peep realize her mistake.