The True Story of the Cat and the Fiddle + 

Hey, diddle, diddle! + 

The cat and the fiddle! + 

He played such a merry tune, + 

That the cow went mad + 

With the pleasure she had, + 

And jumped right over the moon. + 

But then, don’t you see? + 

Before that could be, + 

The moon had come down and listened. + 

The little dog hearkened, + 

So loud that he barkened, + 

“There’s nothing like it, there isn’t.” + 

Hey, diddle, diddle! + 

Went the cat and the fiddle, + 

Hey diddle, diddle, dee, dee! + 

The dog laughed at the sport + 

Till his cough cut him short, + 

It was hey diddle, diddle, oh me! + 

And back came the cow + 

With a merry, merry low, + 

For she’d humbled the man in the moon. + 

The dish got excited, + 

The spoon was delighted, + 

And the dish waltzed away with the spoon. + 

But the man in the moon, + 

Coming back too soon + 

From the famous town of Norwich, + 

Caught up the dish, + 

Said, “It’s just what I wish + 

To hold my cold plum-porridge!” + 

Gave the cow a rat-tat, + 

Flung water on the cat, + 

And sent him away like a rocket. + 

Said, “O Moon there you are!” + 

Got into her car, + 

And went off with the spoon in his pocket + 

Hey ho! diddle, diddle! + 

The wet cat and wet fiddle, + 

They made such a caterwauling, + 

That the cow in a fright + 

Stood bolt upright + 

Bellowing now, and bawling; + 

And the dog on his tail, + 

Stretched his neck with a wail. + 

But “Ho! ho!” said the man in the moon⁠— + 

“No more in the South + 

Shall I burn my mouth, + 

For I’ve found a dish and a spoon.” + 