A Pullet in the Pen Lyrics
An old farmyard saying: one young hen safe in the pen is worth a hundred wild birds out in the marsh.
A Pullet in the Pen
A pullet in the pen
Is worth a hundred in the fen!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/a-pullet-in-the-pen/
- Type
- Mother Goose, Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken proverb
- Best for ages
- 5 to 10 years
What Does A Pullet in the Pen Mean?
A pullet is a young hen, and a pen is a fenced yard for animals. A fen is wet, marshy land where wild birds live. The saying means that something small you already have is worth more than lots of things you cannot catch. It is the farm version of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell printed it among the proverbs in The Nursery Rhymes of England. Proverbs in rhyme were easy to remember, which is how sayings like this were passed on in farming families.
Learning Activities
- Proverb pairs: compare it with "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
- Farm words: learn pullet, pen and fen, then draw each one.
- Real life: think of a time when it was better to keep what you had.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pullet?
A young hen.
What does the saying mean?
Something you already have is worth more than many things you cannot catch.