Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said “this butter’s bitter”. If you’ve ever heard this tongue-twisting nursery rhyme, you know that it’s a tricky one to say quickly without getting your words all twisted up!
The song was written by Carolyn Wells in 1899 under the maiden title The Butter Betty Bought. Despite its tricky tongue twister, the rhyme has been a beloved part of children’s literature ever since. It tells the story of Betty Botter’s struggles to find the perfect butter and the humorous consequences that ensue.
Lyrics for Betty Botter
Although there are different variations, this is the most common of all Betty Botter versions.
Betty Botta bought some butter;
“But,” said she, “this butter’s bitter!
If I put it in my batter
It will make my batter bitter.
But a bit o’ better butter
Will but make my batter better.”
Then she bought a bit o’ butter
Better than the bitter butter,
Made her bitter batter better.
So ’twas better Betty Botta
Bought a bit o’ better butter.
Here is an alternative version that’s shorter than the former. In this form it is known as a tongue twister and many adults use it as a warm up before acting, singing or speaking publicly!
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter
but the bit of butter was bitter
so Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter
to make the bit of bitter butter better.
