Over the River and Through the Woods — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Over the river and through the woods
To Grandmother's house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow, O!
Over the river and through the woods
Oh, how the wind does blow.
It stings the nose
And bites the toes
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the woods
Trot fast my dapple gray.
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound
On this Thanksgiving Day, Hey!
Over the river and through the woods
Now Grandmother's face I spy.
Hurrah for the fun,
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie.

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Learning from "Over the River and Through the Woods"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Over the River and Through the Woods" uses 20 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 Over the River and Through the Woods?
The lyrics to Over the River and Through the Woods are: Over the river and through the woods / To Grandmother's house we go. / The horse knows the way / To carry the sleigh / Through the white and drifted snow, O! / Over the river and through the woods ... Read the full 20-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Over the River and Through the Woods have?
"Over the River and Through the Woods" has 20 lines of verse.

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