Miss Jane Had a Bag Lyrics
Miss Jane opens her bag and out jumps a mouse. The cat gives chase under the table, and the dog cheers from the side.
Miss Jane Had a Bag
Miss Jane had a bag, and a mouse was in it,
She opened the bag, he was out in a minute.
The cat saw him jump, and run under the table,
And the dog said, Catch him, puss, soon as you're able.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/miss-jane-had-a-bag/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
What Does Miss Jane Had a Bag Mean?
A mouse has been hiding in Miss Jane's bag, and the moment she opens it, it is gone "in a minute". The cat spots it and the dog joins in, shouting "Catch him, puss!" The rhyme is a little chase scene, and nobody knows if the mouse got away.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from The Little Mother Goose (1912). Mice turning up where they are not wanted, with a cat close behind, are favorites in old rhymes, from Hickory Dickory Dock to Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat.
Learning Activities
- Act it out: one child is the mouse in a bag (a pillowcase), one is the cat, one the dog.
- Hide and seek: hide a toy mouse in a bag and let your child find it.
- Happy ending: make up a last line where the mouse escapes.