Three Blind Mice

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

It’s very short and rhythmic, which can be calming—but it includes a harsh moment. For bedtime, it works best if you read it lightly and reassure your child that it’s just an old rhyme, not a real story.

Story Synopsis

“Three Blind Mice” is one of the oldest, most well-known English nursery rhymes. In just a few lines, it paints a quick, surprising scene: three blind mice run after the farmer’s wife, and the rhyme ends with a dramatic (and rather grim) punchline. Because it’s so short, children often enjoy it for the rhythm and the repetition—“three blind mice, three blind mice”—and for the way it sounds when spoken aloud. There isn’t a plot to follow or characters to analyze. It’s more like a tiny burst of language, meant to be recited. For a bedtime routine, many parents choose to soften the moment by reading with a calm, playful voice and adding a gentle comment afterward, such as: “That’s just an old rhyme. In our stories, everyone is safe.” Used this way, the rhyme becomes a quick memory game and a piece of classic folklore—something brief you can say together before moving on to a comforting story or a lullaby.

Story Excerpt

Three blind mice, three blind mice, They all ran after the farmer's wife, She cut off their tails with a carving knife; Did you ever see such a thing in your life As three blind mice?

In One Glance