Green Eggs and Ham [Excerpt]
Green Eggs and Ham [Excerpt] Lyrics
That Sam-I-Am! That Sam-I-Am! I do not like that Sam-I-Am!
Do you like green eggs and ham?
I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
Would you like them here or there?
I would not like them here or there.
I would not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.
Would you like them in a house?
Would you like them with a mouse?
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.
Would you eat them with a fox?
Not in a box. Not with a fox.
Not in a house. Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.
Would you? Could you? In a car?
Eat them! Eat them! Here they are.
I would not, could not, in a car.
You may like them. You will see.
You may like them in a tree!
I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be.
[....]
Could you, would you, with a goat?
I would not, could not with a goat!
I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not eat them in the rain.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!
I do not like green eggs and ham!
I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.
You do not like them. So you say.
Try them! Try them! And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.
Sam! If you let me be,
I will try them. You will see.
(... And he tries them ...)
Say! I like green eggs and ham!
I do! I like them, Sam-I-Am!
And I would eat them in a boat.
And I would eat them with a goat...
And I will eat them, in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good, so good, you see!
So I will eat them in a box.
And I will eat them with a fox.
And I will eat them in a house.
And I will eat them with a mouse.
And I will eat them here and there.
Say! I will eat them anywhere!
I do so like green eggs and ham!
Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-Am.
About
Green Eggs and Ham is a best-selling and critically acclaimed book by Dr. Seuss (the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel), first published on August 12, 1960. As of 2001, according to Publishers Weekly, it was the fourth best-selling English-language children’s book of all time.
Green Eggs and Ham is unique in that it was written on a bet. Dr. Seuss' editor, Bennett Cerf, bet him that he couldn’t write a book using only 50 words. This was no small feat because, by comparison, the relatively simple Cat in the Hat had used about 225.
Dr. Seuss won that bet. This book uses only 50 words, all of which are found in this highlighted paragraph, which are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, and you.
The story has appeared in several animated adaptations, starting with 1973’s Dr. Seuss on the Loose: The Sneetches, The Zax; Green Eggs and Ham, starring Paul Winchell as the voice of both Sam-I-Am and the first-person narrating man.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
