Hottentot Tot — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

If a Hottentot taught a Hottentot tot
To talk ere the tot could totter,
Ought the Hottenton tot
Be taught to say aught, or naught,
Or what ought to be taught her?
If to hoot and to toot a Hottentot tot
Be taught by her Hottentot tutor,
Ought the tutor get hot
If the Hottentot tot
Hoot and toot at her Hottentot tutor?

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Learning from "Hottentot Tot"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Hottentot Tot" uses 10 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 Hottentot Tot?
The lyrics to Hottentot Tot are: If a Hottentot taught a Hottentot tot / To talk ere the tot could totter, / Ought the Hottenton tot / Be taught to say aught, or naught, / Or what ought to be taught her? / If to hoot and to toot a Hottentot tot ... Read the full 10-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Hottentot Tot have?
"Hottentot Tot" has 10 lines of verse.

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