Fish Story — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

One, two, three, four, five –
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten –
Then I let it go again.
Why did I let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.

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Learning from "Fish Story"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Fish Story" uses 8 lines to create a memorable verse — proof that effective poetry doesn't need to be long. Pay attention to the meter: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is what makes the rhyme stick in your head.

Songwriters and poets can borrow these patterns. Try writing your own lyrics using the same rhyme scheme and line length as this nursery rhyme. You can also use words from the poem above as starting points — click any word to find rhymes or look up its definition, then build from there.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the words to Fish Story?
The lyrics to Fish Story are: One, two, three, four, five – / Once I caught a fish alive. / Six, seven, eight, nine, ten – / Then I let it go again. / Why did I let it go? / Because it bit my finger so. ... Read the full 8-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Fish Story have?
"Fish Story" has 8 lines of verse.

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