这支童谣的灵感应该是来自阿加莎·克里斯蒂的小说《无人生还》，这本书的原名是《十个小黑人》，后来涉嫌种族歧视曾经改为《十个小印第安人》，但仍是政治不正确。最后才改为现在的《无人生还》。小说名字改掉后，书里的童谣也被改成过“十个小印第安人”、“十个小兵人”。小说描写了八个原本素不相识的人被U·N·欧文夫妇邀请到德文郡沿海的士兵岛之后，一个一个离奇死亡的故事。
童谣歌词如下：
Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;
十个小小战士吃饭去；
One choked his little self and then there were nine.
一个呛死剩九个。
Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;
九个小小战士睡过头；
One overslept himself and then there were eight.
一个不醒剩八个。
Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon;
八个小小战士游德文；
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.
一个留住剩七个。
Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;
七个小小战士砍树枝；
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
一个砍死剩六个。
Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;
六个小小战士玩蜂箱；
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.
螫死一个剩五个。
Five little Indian boys going in for law;
五个小小战士打官司；
One got in Chancery and then there were four.
一进法院剩四个。
Four little Indian boys going out to sea;
四个小小战士出海去；
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
熏青鱼吞剩三个。
Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo;
三个小小战士上动物园；
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
大熊抓去剩两个。
Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun;
两个小小战士晒太阳；
One got frizzled up and then there was one.
晒焦一个剩一个。
One little Indian boy left all alone;
一个小小战士太孤单；
He went and hanged himself and then there were none.
吊死了自己，一个都不留。
