One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
1805 
USA Lyrics
Three, four, Knock at the door;
Five, six, Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight, Lay them straight:
Nine, ten, A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve, Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen, Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen, Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen, Maids in waiting
Nineteen, twenty, My plate's empty.
History and Meaning
"One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is a popular English counting song first published in London in 1805 in a children's songbook titled "Songs for the Nursery," though evidence suggests it predates this publication. An older, longer version of the rhyme was reportedly recalled by an elderly woman in Wrentham, Massachusetts, as early as 1780, as documented by American folklore collector Henry Carrington Bolton in 1888, and another version appeared in 1810 in "Gammer Gurton's Garland." Beyond its primary function as a counting aid for teaching children numbers, some theories propose that the rhyme might describe the daily routine of lacemakers in the 17th and 18th centuries, with "buckle my shoe" signifying getting ready for work, "pick up sticks" alluding to gathering wooden tools used in lacemaking, and "lay them straight" describing arranging these tools. Another perspective suggests the rhyme encouraged good daily work habits in children. Despite various interpretations, the enduring purpose of "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" has always been to assist children in learning to count through its simple, repetitive structure and engaging narrative.