" Mary had a little lamb  Its fleece as white as snow  And everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go " The famous nursery rhyme was published in 1830 in "Poems for our children" by Sarah Hale. Did you know that Mary actually had a lamb? Mary Elizabeth Sawyer from Sterling, a 9 years old girl in 1815, discovered a sick lamb abandoned by his mother. After pleading with her father, she managed to keep the lamb as a pet and miraculously the lamb survived. He became a member of the family and often tagged along with Mary and her brother when they were going to Redstone school. Mary secretly petted him under the desk covering the lamb with a blanket. Oneday unfortunately Mary was called to the front and lamb jumped out of his hiding place.Children were delighted and had a good time with this pet lamb that day. Few days later John Roulstone, a student in the same school hands over a poem to Mary about her lamb.