Ten Little Indians is a modern children's song and counting rhyme that has been popular for about 20 years. Most of us are familiar with the first verse, which consists of simply counting the Indians. (In America, the Indians are assumed to be Native Americans. I don't know if this is the case in other countries.) The Indians are represented by your fingers, making it a great counting / fine motor skills task for preschoolers.
One little, two little, three little Indians
Four little, five little, six little Indians
Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians
Ten little Indian boys (and Girls).
In the spring, they hoe their gardens
In the spring, they hoe their gardens
In the spring, they hoe their gardens
Ten little Indian boys (and girls)
(Act like you are using a hoe)
In the Summer, they go on the warpath
In the Summer, they go on the warpath
In the Summer, they go on the warpath
Ten little Indian boys (and girls)
(Hop up and down like wild Indians, put a hand to your mouth like your whooping.)
In the fall, they build their wigwams
In the fall, they build their wigwams
In the fall, they build their wigwams
Ten little Indian boys (and girls!)
(Act like you're building a wigwam. Isn't this fun?)
Continue until interest wanes.
Of course, there is another Ten Little Indians, the original (politically incorrect) version. It was written by Septimus Winner in the 1860s for a traveling music show, and was entitled 10 Little Injuns. Before that, he published it as Ten Little Niggers. As you can imagine, it is no longer popular in either of its incarnations, and is rarely, if ever, heard today.
Ten little Injuns standin' in a line,
One toddled home and then there were nine;
Nine little Injuns swingin' on a gate,
One tumbled off and then there were eight.
One little, two little, three little, four little, five little Injun boys,
Six little, seven little, eight little, nine little, ten little Injun boys.
Eight little Injuns gayest under heav'n.
One went to sleep and then there were seven;
Seven little Injuns cuttin' up their tricks,
One broke his neck and then there were six.
Six little Injuns all alive,
One kicked the bucket and then there were five;
Five little Injuns on a cellar door,
One tumbled in and then there were four.
Four little Injuns up on a spree,
One got fuddled and then there were three;
Three little Injuns out on a canoe,
One tumbled overboard and then there were two.
Two little Injuns foolin' with a gun,
One shot t'other and then there was one;
One little Injun livin' all alone,
He got married and then there were none.
This version has been rewritten many times, with little or no improvement. For completeness sake I will include here the version I first heard, although unfortunately I do not know who the author of this version is.
Ten little Indians climbing up a vine, one fell down and then there were nine.
Nine little Indians swinging on a gate, one fell off and then there were eight.
Eight little Indians, climbing up to heaven, one fell down and then there were seven.
Seven little Indians, playing with sticks, one got hurt and then their were six.
Six little Indians playing 'round the hive, one got stung and then there were five.
Five little Indians playing with a door, one fell off and then there were four.
Four little Indians climbing up a tree, one fell down and then there were three.
Three little Indians playing with a shoe, one fell in and then there were two.
Two little Indians on the run, one fell down and then there was one.
One little Indian boy