Hark Hark the Dogs Do Bark Lyrics
The dogs start barking because strangers are coming to town, some in rags and one in a velvet gown. It is one of the old English rhymes about the people who traveled between towns.
Hark Hark the Dogs Do Bark
Hark, hark! the dogs do bark!
Beggars are coming to town:
Some in jags, and some in rags,
And some in velvet gown.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/hark-hark-the-dogs-do-bark/
- Type
- Mother Goose, Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 3 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Hark, hark! the dogs do bark! | Cup a hand to your ear, then bark like a dog. |
| Beggars are coming to town | Walk slowly on the spot. |
| Some in jags, and some in rags | Tug at your sleeves as if your clothes are torn. |
| And some in velvet gown | Stand up straight and smooth down a fancy pretend gown. |
What Does Hark Hark the Dogs Do Bark Mean?
"Hark" means listen. In old England, traveling people moved from town to town looking for work, and the village dogs barked whenever strangers arrived. Some wore torn clothes ("jags" and "rags") and one wore a fine velvet gown, so the rhyme is also a small lesson that you can't always tell who someone is by what they wear.
History and Origin
The rhyme was well known in England by the 1800s. Some have tried to link it to particular events in English history, but the simplest reading is also the most likely: dogs barking at visitors arriving on the road into town.
Learning Activities
- Dress-up: use old clothes and one fancy scarf to act out the visitors arriving.
- Kindness talk: ask why the dogs barked, and how we should treat people who are new in town.