Old King Cole Lyrics

This English nursery rhyme, documented in print as early as 1708, describes a merry king who calls for his pipe, his bowl, and his three fiddlers to play for him, a simple but vivid scene of music and celebration passed down for over three centuries. It's well suited to children ages 2 to 5, who enjoy its bouncy rhythm and the regal, storybook feel of a king enjoying his musicians. Early-childhood educators often use rhymes centered on music-making, like the fiddlers in this one, to introduce the idea of instruments and performance in a way toddlers can relate to and act out. The short, repetitive structure makes it easy for very young children to memorize quickly, offering an early sense of mastery over a full song. Because the rhyme has survived largely unchanged for hundreds of years, it also offers families a genuine link to English rhyme tradition. Pairing it with pretend instrument play, like a toy fiddle, adds a hands-on layer to the singing. For more on the deep roots of rhymes like this, see nursery rhymes history and origins.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.

Every fiddler had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he.
Oh there's none so rare, as can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.