Little Boy Blue
Quick Answer
A short nursery rhyme about a shepherd boy who should be watching the sheep and cowsâbut falls asleep. Itâs a gentle reminder about responsibility, told in a sing-song way.
Why This Story Works for Bedtime
Itâs brief and rhythmic. At bedtime it can be read as a soft, sleepy verseâespecially because âBoy Blueâ is literally dozing off.
Story at a Glance
RECOMMENDED AGES
2-7 years
READING TIME
1 min
Story Synopsis
âLittle Boy Blueâ is a traditional nursery rhyme about a young herdsman whose job is to watch the animals and blow his horn if they wander. But instead of staying alert, Boy Blue falls asleep in the haystack. The rhyme wonders what will happen to the sheep and cows, and gently scolds him to wake up. Itâs not a scary storyâmore of a sleepy snapshot. In bedtime routines, that sleepiness can actually be comforting: you can read it softly, then turn the ending into reassuranceââNow you can rest too.â
Story Excerpt
Little Boy Blue, come, blow up your horn; The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn. Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep? Under the haystack, fast asleep.
Unlock the Full Story
Subscribe to Miluna Family and unlock this story plus hundreds more.
- Unlimited access to all bedtime stories
- New stories added weekly
- AI-personalized stories for your child
- Ad-free, distraction-free reading
In One Glance
âLittle Boy Blueâ is a short rhyme about a boy who should be watching the sheep and cows and blowing his horn, but he falls asleep in the hay. Itâs a sing-song reminder about staying responsible, with a very gentle tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
A boy meant to watch animals falls asleep instead of blowing his horn.
Noâit's calm and sleepy.
Ages 2â7.
Lean into the âsleepy haystackâ moodâread it slowly and end with a cozy goodnight.