A brisk little tribute to an old woman who spent her days doing good deeds until her fingers were sore. It is over almost as soon as it starts, which suits very young listeners well.
From Mother Goose / Nursery Rhymes (traditional). See the whole collection.
There was an old woman of Leeds,
Who spent all her time in good deeds;
She worked for the poor
Till her fingers were sore,
This pious old woman of Leeds!
About this rhyme
Text matches exactly: good deeds, worked for the poor till her fingers were sore.
An old woman of Leeds spends all her time doing good, working for the poor until her own fingers are sore. There's no joke in this one, just a quiet nod to kindness that costs something. Say it gently; it's one of the rare rhymes here with no sting in the tail.
Public domain. Text from The Real Mother Goose (Blanche Fisher Wright, 1916), via Project Gutenberg. View the source edition