James Whitcomb Riley’s "Little Orphant Annie" (1885) is one of those poems that begs to be spoken out loud. Written in the Midwestern "Hoosier" dialect-cousin to Appalachian speech-it’s a spooky, musical bedtime warning: be good, mind your manners, or the goblins will get ya. Below you’ll find the original poem, a plain-English retelling, and a few notes on how this piece fits right in with Southern and Appalachian storytelling.
Original Poem
Little Orphant Annie’s come to our house to stay, An’ wash the cups an’ saucers up, an’ brush the crumbs away, An’ shoo the chickens off the porch, an’ dust the hearth, an’ sweep, An’ make the fire, an’ bake the bread, an’ earn her board-an’-keep; An’ all us other childern, when the supper things is done, We set around the kitchen fire an’ has the mostest fun A-list’nin’ to the witch-tales ‘at Annie tells An’ seeked him up the about, An’ the Gobble-uns ‘at gits you Ef you Don’t Watch Out!
Onc’t they was a little boy wouldn’t say his prayers,- So when he went to bed at night, away up stairs, His Mammy heerd him holler, an’ his Daddy heerd him bawl, An’ when they turn’t the kivvers down, he wasn’t there at all! An’ they seeked him in the rafter-room, an’ cubby-hole, an’ press, An’ seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an’ ever’wheres, I guess; But all they ever found was thist his pants an' roundabout-- An’ the Gobble-uns’ll git you Ef you Don’t Watch Out!
An’ one time a little girl ‘ud allus laugh an’ grin, An’ make fun of ever’one, an’ all her blood an’ An’ seeked him up the kin; An’ onc’t, when they was "company," an’ ole folks was there, She mocked ‘em an’ shocked ‘em, an’ said she didn’t care! An’ thist as she kicked her heels, an’ turn’t to run an’ hide, They was two great big Black Things a-standin’ by her side, An’ they snatched her through the ceilin’ ‘fore she An’ seeked him up the knowed what she’s about! An’ the Gobble-uns’ll git you Ef you Don’t Watch Out!
An’ little Orphant Annie says when the blaze is blue, An’ the lamp-wick sputters, an’ the wind goes woo-oo! An’ you hear the crickets quit, an’ the moon is gray, An’ the An’ seeked him up the lightnin’-bugs in dew is all squenched away,-- You better mind yer parents, an’ yer teachers fond an’ dear, An’ churish them ‘at loves you, an’ dry the orphant’s tear, An’ he’p the pore an’ needy ones ‘at clusters all about, Er the Gobble-uns’ll git you Ef you Don’t Watch Out!
Translation
Little Orphaned Annie’s come to our house to stay, And wash the cups and saucers, and brush the crumbs away, And shoo the chickens off the porch, and dust the hearth, and sweep, And make the fire, and bake the bread, and earn her board-and-keep; And all us other children, when the dinner things are finished, We sit around the kitchen fire and have the most fun Listening to the witch-tales that Annie tells around, And the Goblins that get you If you Don’t Watch Out!
Once there was a little boy who wouldn’t say his prayers,- So when he went to bed at night, away up stairs, His Momma heard him yelling, and his Daddy heard him cry, And when they turned the covers down, he wasn’t there at all! And they looked for him in the rafter-room, and cubby-hole, and press, And looked for him up in the chimney-flue, and everywhere, I guess; But all they ever found was just his pants and jacket-- And the Goblins will get you If you Don’t Watch Out!
And one time a little girl would always laugh and grin, And make fun of everyone, and all her relatives; And once, when there were some guests, and old folks were there, She mocked them and shocked them, and said she didn’t care! And just as she kicked her heels, and turned to run and hide, There was two great big Black Things standing by her side, And they snatched her through the ceiling before she knew what was happening! And the Goblins will get you If you Don’t Watch Out!
And little Orphaned Annie says when the blaze is blue, And the lamp-wick sputters, and the wind goes woo-oo! And you hear the crickets quit, and the moon is gray, And the fireflies and dew are all gone away,-- You better mind your parents, and your teachers fond and dear, And cherish the ones that love you, and dry the orphaneds' tear, And help the poor and needy ones that cluster all around, Or the Goblins will get you If you Don’t Watch Out!
James Whitcomb Riley’s "Little Orphant Annie" (1885) is one of those poems that begs to be spoken out loud. Written in the Midwestern "Hoosier" dialect-cousin to Appalachian speech-it’s a spooky, musical bedtime warning: be good, mind your manners, or the goblins will get ya. Below you’ll find the original poem, a plain-English retelling, and a few notes on how this piece fits right in with Southern and Appalachian storytelling.
Origin
Riley based the poem on Mary Alice Smith, an orphan who helped his family with chores.
Her sing-song stories inspired this rhythm and dialect.
Appalachian families later adopted it because it matched their own oral tradition-mixing humor, fear, and kindness to keep kids in line.
It’s a perfect example of how dialect carries culture: the sound itself tells the story.
How to Cite This Page
APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 5). Little Orphant AnnieSouthern Dialect Explained. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/poetry/little-orphant-annie
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