Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon, The little dog laughed to see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon! Hey wiggle waggle, The animals watched it all, The pig said, “I want to try!” The little lamb giggled and joined right in, And danced beneath the sky! Hey tickle pickle, The mouse heard the fiddle, The horse said, “Me too, me too!” The tiny bird chirped, “Let’s all have fun!” And around the crew it flew! Hey bubble trouble, More friends came to play, The goat climbed up really high, The fluffy bunny hopped with glee, Reaching for the sky! Hey riddle middle, They danced to the fiddle, The sheep bounced over the hill, The sleepy owl woke up to play, And twirled with a happy thrill! Hey giggle wiggle, The whole group did jiggle, The bear hugged every friend, The happy squirrel shouted, “Hooray!” “Let’s party ‘til the end!” Hey snuggle cuddle, All friends in a huddle, They gathered round to play, Every little creature smiled with joy, “Best party of the day!”
Hey Diddle Diddle Nursery Rhyme
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About Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey Diddle Diddle Words
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
What does Hey Diddle Diddle mean?
Most likely, nothing at all, and that's the fun of it. Hey Diddle Diddle is a nonsense rhyme, full of impossible pictures for little ones to giggle at. Why did the cow jump over the moon? The rhyme never says. It's just meant to be silly.
It was first printed in London around 1765, in a book called Mother Goose's Melody. That early version began "High diddle diddle," and it was a fork, not a dish, that ran away with the spoon. People have suggested all sorts of hidden meanings since, from star constellations to Queen Elizabeth I to old inns called the Cat and Fiddle, but none has ever been proven. The rhyme is also thought to be where the saying "over the moon," meaning very happy, comes from.
Want to know how it all happened?
Find out in Hey Diddle Diddle's Big Night, an interactive retelling where your child picks where to look and who to follow. Or find more nursery rhymes.