The Farmer in the Dell - lyrics and music
The Farmer in the Dell is a funny and very popular nursery rhyme and "singing game". This rhyme is almost 200 years old. It was written in Germany, but it is also very popular in USA. That is probably because it was taken to New York by German immigrants.
As a singing game: One person is picked out to be "the farmer". Then the other players form a circle around "the farmer", holding hands. Then they go dancing and singing around the farmer. On "the farmer takes a wife", the farmer chooses one person from the circle to dance with him (or her). On "the wife takes a child", the wife chooses another person to dance with her (or him). Then the "farmer" goes back into the circle. And so on...
The person who is chosen as "the cheese" stands alone in the end.
Not sure about the tune? Don`t worry - you can listen to The Farmer in the Dell at the bottom of this page.
The farmer in the dell
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The farmer in the dell
The farmer takes a wife
The farmer takes a wife
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The farmer takes a wife
The wife takes a child
The wife takes a child
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The wife takes a child
The child takes a nurse
The child takes a nurse
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The child takes a nurse
The nurse takes a cow
The nurse takes a cow
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The nurse takes a cow
The cow takes a dog
The cow takes a dog
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The cow takes a dog
The dog takes a cat
The dog takes a cat
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The dog takes a cat
The cat takes a mouse (or rat)
The cat takes a mouse
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The cat takes a mouse
The mouse takes the cheese
The mouse takes the cheese
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The mouse takes the cheese
The cheese stands alone
The cheese stands alone
Hi-Ho, the derry-o
The cheese stands alone
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