Welcome to our A1 beginner story, "Rock-a-bye Baby"! This famous lullaby tells of a baby sleeping high in a tree. One gusty night, the wind shakes the branches, and the cradle tips. But don't worry – this version has a happy ending.
In this interactive graded reader, you can read and listen to the story audio at your own pace. Click on any tricky word to see its meaning instantly. After the story, check the lesson notes for simple teaching points. Enjoy learning English with this classic tale – completely free!
Our retelling uses only the most basic English words and short sentences, perfect for A1 learners. Practice reading aloud with the audio, and build your confidence with bedtime vocabulary like 'cradle,' 'wind,' and 'lullaby.'
It is bedtime. A baby is in a . The cradle is on a high up in a tree.
The mother sings a . "Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top!" The wind blows. The cradle rocks .
The father says, "Sleep well." But then the wind blows hard.
The bough moves . The cradle falls! Down, down it comes.
The father runs and catches the cradle. The baby is safe under the tree.
"Hush, baby, sleep," says the mother. The baby sleeps. Goodnight!
It's time for bed. A baby lies in a cradle. The cradle sits on a branch high in a tree.
The mother sings, "Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop!" The wind blows, and the cradle sways softly.
The father says, "Sleep well." But then the wind blows strongly.
The branch bounces up and down. The cradle falls down!
The father runs and catches the cradle. The baby is safe under the tree.
"Hush, baby, sleep," says the mother. The baby sleeps. Good night!
Let's look at the words you hear in the lullaby. These are all about bedtime and nature.
Repeat them aloud. The audio will help you with the sounds.
- baby, cradle, bough, tree
- wind, lullaby, mother, father
- bedtime, sleep, goodnight
The story uses simple verbs to tell us what happens. All of them are in the present tense - the form we use for now or always.
Notice the -s ending for he, she, or it.
- The wind blows. The cradle rocks.
- The father runs and catches the cradle.
- The baby sleeps. Goodnight!
Little words like in, on, under tell us where someone or something is. They are very useful!
Look at these examples from the story. Can you draw the pictures?
- The baby is in a cradle.
- The cradle is on a bough.
- The baby is safe under the tree.
Now you know the words. Listen to the lullaby again and sing along quietly. The melody is soft - just right for bedtime.
Tomorrow, try using 'in', 'on', and 'under' with things in your room. Say them out loud. Little by little, they become yours.
Rock-a-bye Baby comes from the English / nursery rhyme tradition and is best known as a nursery rhyme/lullaby. This Yak Yacker article is an original learner retelling based on Traditional nursery rhyme; public domain, so the wording here is simplified for modern learners rather than copied from one old edition.
Older printings, translations, and retellings of this story can vary quite a bit. The original audience was usually kids, but this version is adapted for A1 Beginner learners studying English. Maybe make it a safe bedtime story.
If you want to look into the source tradition, start with Wikisource.
If you want to keep going, browse more in our English section and review the A1 English Vocabulary List. After that, try English Adjectives and Adverbs for another useful next step.
