A little lamb went straying

"A little lamb went straying" is a sweet and gentle mid-nineteenth-century hymn written by the prolific English writer Albert Midlane. He was particularly known for his extensive contributions to youth hymnals, most notably authoring the classic "There's a Friend for Little Children." This specific lyric uses the poignant, accessible metaphor of a lost sheep to teach young minds about the protective care of the Savior.

The hymn was written in January 1859. It was first introduced to the public in the March 1860 issue of the Good News Magazine, arranged in five stanzas of eight lines.

In 1864, the lyric transitioned into compiled books when it was included as entry number 13 in the Hymn Book for Youth. Following this successful inclusion, the piece passed into several other hymnals, finding its home almost exclusively within collections compiled for children and Sunday Schools.