Old King Cole Lyrics

A traditional English nursery rhyme dating to at least 1708, describing a "merry old soul" of a king who calls for his pipe, his bowl, and his three fiddlers. Best for ages 3–7. The cumulative, list-like structure (pipe, bowl, fiddlers three) makes it easy for young children to memorize and to anticipate, supporting working memory and the kind of pattern prediction that underlies early reading. It is also a cheerful introduction to instruments and to the idea of an orchestra, since the fiddlers play in turn. Hand each child a pretend instrument and let them "play" on cue for a simple, joyful music-and-movement game. For where these old verses originate and why they endure, see [the history of nursery rhymes](/blog/history-of-nursery-rhymes) and our [top 20 nursery rhymes of all time](/blog/top-20-nursery-rhymes-of-all-time).

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.