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 heaven.
One went to sleep and then there were seven
Seven little Injuns cutting up their tricks,
One broke his neck and then there were six.
One little two little three little four little
five little Injun boys
Six little seven little eight little nine little
ten little Injun boys
Six little Injuns kickin‘ 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
One little two little three little four little
five little Injun boys
Six little seven little eight little nine little
ten little Injun boys
Four little Injuns upon a spree,
One he got fuddled and then there were three
Three little Injuns out in a canoe,
One tumbled over board and then there were two.
One little two little three little four little
five little Injun boys
Six little seven little eight little nine little
ten little Injun boys
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.
Text: Septimus Winner (1868, „Ten little Injuns“)
Musik: schottisches Traditional
u. a. in: „The Ten Cent Ten Little Injuns Songster“ (1869)
Verächtliches Lied über die amerikanischen Ureinwohner, geschrieben zur Zeit des Genozids an den „Indianern“. Noch im selben Jahr oder nur ein Jahr später – entstand auf die gleiche Melodie das ebenso rassistische „Ten little Niggers“, was später – auf eine andere Melodie – die Vorlage für „Zehn kleine Negerlein“ war.
Septimus Winner, (1827 – 1902) war ein bekannter amerikanischer Liederschreiber, der auch unter den Namen Alice Hawthorne, Percy Guyer, Mark Mason, Apsley Street, und Paul Stenton veröffentlichte.
