The poem “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Once I caught a Fish Alive” is a children’s nursery rhyme that tells a playful story about catching and releasing a fish. The poem follows a simple and repetitive structure, with the first stanza recounting the act of catching a fish alive and the second stanza describing the decision to let it go. The refrain “One, two, three, four, five” is repeated at the beginning and end of each stanza, creating a rhythmic and memorable pattern.
The poem addresses the question of why the speaker let the fish go, and the answer provided is that the fish bit the speaker’s finger. The poem humorously identifies the finger that was bitten as the “little finger on the right.” This lighthearted explanation adds a sense of whimsy to the narrative.
Once I caught a fish alive.
One, two, three, four, five.
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on the right.
One, two, three, four, five.
One, two, three, four, five.
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on the right.
One, two, three, four, five.
Difficult Word Meanings:
- Alive: In a state of living; not dead.
- Bite: To use the teeth to cut into something, often causing injury.
- Finger: One of the five digits on the hand, usually distinguished from the thumb.
- Little: Small in size.
- Right: The side of the body that is opposite to the left when facing forward.
- Caught: Past tense of “catch,” which means to seize or capture something.
- Fish: A cold-blooded aquatic animal with fins and gills, usually living in water.
- Let: To allow or permit something to happen.
- Bit: Past tense of “bite,” which means to grip or cut with the teeth.
- Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten: Numerals representing the counting sequence from six to ten.
