Three Blind Mice
Three Blind Mice is a traditional English nursery rhyme and a musical round. It first appeared in print around 1609 in a collection called Deuteromelia, edited by Thomas Ravenscroft. The earliest version describes three blind mice and a farmer’s wife in simple words and does not originally say anything about tails being cut off.
In 1842 the rhyme entered children’s literature when James Orchard Halliwell included it in a book for kids, helping it become a standard nursery rhyme. A well-known modern version comes from Beatrix Potter’s 1922 Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes, with the familiar lines about the three mice running after the farmer’s wife and her cutting off their tails with a carving knife.
Scholars have debated possible hidden meanings, such as references to Queen Mary I and the blinding of bishops, but the earliest lines do not mention blinding, and the link to Mary is not clear or proven.
The tune and rhyme have inspired many works. Composers such as Haydn and Schumann used or referenced the theme, and Havergal Brian wrote a large piece called Fantastic Variations on an Old Rhyme. The rhyme has also appeared in popular music and film, including Leroy Anderson’s Fiddle Faddle and a calypso version used in Dr. No. The Three Stooges even used it as a theme at times.
In 1904 John W. Ivimey published a longer illustrated book called The Complete Version of Ye Three Blind Mice, expanding the story so the mice have adventures and a more developed ending. This longer version is a different take from the original 1609 rhyme, which did not include that plot.
Outside of books and music, the tune is sometimes heard in sports to tease umpires or referees, and on occasion, organizers have discouraged playing it during games.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:06 (CET).