Ten Little Nigger Boys
went out to dine;
One choked his little self
and then there were Nine
Nine Little Nigger Boys
sat up very late;
One overslept himself
and then there were Eight
Eight Little Nigger Boys
traveling in Devon;
One said he’d stay there
and then there were Seven
Seven Little Nigger Boys
chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves
and then there were Six
Six Little Nigger Boys
playing with a hive;
A Bumble-Bee stung one
and then there were Five
Five Little Nigger Boys
going in for Law;
One got in Chancery
and then there were Four.
Four Little Nigger Boys
going out to Sea;
A Red Herring swallowed one
and then there were Three
Three Little Nigger Boys
walking in the Zoo;
The big Bear hugged one
and then there were Two
Two Little Nigger Boys
sitting in the Sun;
One got frizzled up
and then there was One
One Little Nigger Boy
living all alone;
He got married
and then there were None
Text: Verfasser unbekannt, möglicherweise von Frank J. Green 1869 in London aus Ten Little Indians nach Ten Little Niggers neu getextet
Musik: die Melodie von Ten litte Indians
„Ten little Niggers“ gehörte zum Standardrepertoire der Minstrel Shows, in denen Weiße US-Amerikaner mit dunkel bemaltem Gesicht „Neger“ verspotteten. Eine solche, US-Amerikanische Gruppe, die Christy’s Minstrels, brachten das Lied nach Großbritannien. Beide Lieder wurden ab 1868 als Kinderbücher auf den Markt gebracht, die ältesten deutschen Ausgaben erschienen ab 1885, als in Berlin die „Kongokonferenz“ um die Aufteilung Afrikas stattfand. Auf deutsch entstand dann in der Übertragung „Zehn kleine Negerlein“.
