There Was a Young Lady of Sweden Lyrics
A young lady of Sweden takes the slow train to a place called Weedon. When the station is called out she makes no remark, and she thinks she should go back to Sweden.
There Was a Young Lady of Sweden
There was a Young Lady of Sweden,
Who went by the slow train to Weedon;
When they cried, "Weedon Station!"
She made no observation,
But thought she should go back to Sweden.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/there-was-a-young-lady-of-sweden/
- Type
- Poems for Children
- Written by
- Edward Lear
- Tune
- Slow and chugging, with a surprised pause at the last line
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Who went by the slow train to Weedon; | Roll your arms like train wheels, slowly. |
| She made no observation, | Put a finger on your lips. |
What Does There Was a Young Lady of Sweden Mean?
The poem is about a journey that ends with a shrug. The lady goes by the slow train to Weedon, and when they cried, 'Weedon Station!' she made no observation. An observation here is a remark, so she says nothing at all. Then comes the twist: she thought she should go back to Sweden. She does not say what she saw. The reader can picture her stepping onto the platform, taking one look, and heading home.
The place names carry the sound. Sweden and Weedon chime together, and Station and observation rhyme in the short lines. The lady never explains.
History and Origin
A note Lear wrote for readers of More Nonsense says that he never allowed a caricature of any real person into his drawings, and that Nonsense, pure and absolute was his aim from start to finish.
Learning Activities
- Slow train: chug slowly around the room and call out Weedon Station.
- Why go back?: ask the child what the lady might have seen at Weedon that made her turn round.
- Rhyme pair: clap the rhyme pairs Sweden and Weedon, then Station and observation.
- Draw the platform: draw the station sign and the lady with her bag.