The Farmer In The Dell

The farmer in the dell,
The farmer in the dell,
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The farmer in the dell.

The farmer took a wife,
The farmer took a wife,
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The farmer took 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-oh the derry-o,
The child takes a nurse.

The nurse takes a dog,
The nurse takes a dog,
Hi-oh the derry-o,
The nurse 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 rat,
The cat takes a rat,
Hi-oh the derry-o,
The cat takes a rat.

The rat takes the cheese,
The rat takes the cheese,
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The rat takes the cheese,

The farmer runs away,
The farmer runs away,
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The farmer runs away.

The Wife, Child, Nurse, Etc.

The cheese stands alone,
The cheese stands alone,
Hi-ho the derry-o,
The cheese stands alone.

The song was first recorded in Germany1826, and more than likely brought over by immigrants to New York where it appeared in 1883.
the original title was “Es fuhr ein Bau’r ins Holz”

German Version

Ein Bauer ging ins Holz,
Ein Bauer ging ins Holz.
Ein Bauer ging ins Kirmesholz,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesholz,
Ein Bauer ging ins Holz.

Er nahm sich eine Frau,
Er nahm sich eine Frau,
Er nahm sich eine Kirmesfrau,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesfrau,
Er nahm sich eine Frau.

A so a schöne Frau,
A so a schöne Frau,
A so a schöne Kirmesfrau,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesfrau,
A so a schöne Frau.

Die Frau nahm sich ein Kind,
Die Frau nahm sich ein Kind,
Die Frau nahm sich ein Kirmeskind,
Heißa, heißa Kirmeskind,
Die Frau nahm sich ein Kind.

A so a schönes Kind
A so a schönes Kind
A so a schöne Kirmeskind,
Heißa, heißa Kirmeskind,
A so a schönes Kind.

Das Kind nahm sich eine Magd,
Das Kind nahm sich eine Magd,
Das Kind nahm sich eine Kirmesmagd,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesmagd,
Das Kind nahm sich eine Magd.

A so a schöne Magd,
A so a schöne Magd,
A so a schöne Kirmesmagd,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesmagd,
A so a schöne Magd.

Die Magd nahm sich einen Knecht,
Die Magd nahm sich einen Knecht,
Die Magd nahm sich einen Kirmesknecht,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesnecht,
Die Magd nahm sich einen Knecht.

A so a schöner Knecht,
A so a schöner Knecht,
A so a schöner Kirmesknecht,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesnecht,
A so a schöner Knecht.

Der Knecht nahm sich ein Pferd,
Der Knecht nahm sich ein Pferd,
Der Knecht nahm sich ein Kirmespferd,
Heißa, heißa Kirmespferd,
Der Knecht nahm sich ein Pferd.

A so a schönes Pferd,
A so a schönes Pferd,
A so a schönes Kirmespferd,
Heißa, heißa Kirmespferd,
A so a schönes Pferd.

Das Pferd nahm sich einen Hund,
Das Pferd nahm sich einen Hund,
Das Pferd nahm sich einen Kirmeshund,
Heißa, heißa Kirmeshund,
Das Pferd nahm sich einen Hund.

A so a schöner Hund,
A so a schöner Hund,
A so a schöner Kirmeshund,
Heißa, heißa Kirmeshund,
A so a schöner Hund.

Jetzt schmeiß ma'n Bauer raus,
Jetzt schmeiß ma'n Bauer raus,
Jetzt schmeiß ma'n Kirmesbauer raus,
Heißa, heißa Kirmesbauer,
Jetzt schmeiß ma'n Bauer raus.

English Version

A farmer went into the woods,
A farmer went into the woods,
A farmer went into the fair-woods,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-woods,
A farmer went into the woods.

He took a wife,
He took a wife,
He took himself a fair-wife,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-wife,
He took a wife.

Such a beautiful wife,
Such a beautiful wife,
Such beautiful fair-wife,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-wife,
Such a beautiful wife.

The wife had a child,
The wife had a child,
The wife had a fair-child,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-child
The wife had a child.

Such a beautiful child
Such a beautiful child
Such a beautiful fair-child,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-child
Such a beautiful child.

The child took a nursemaid,
The child took a nursemaid,
The child took a fair nurse-maid,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-nursemaid,
The child took a nursemaid.

Such a beautiful nursemaid,
Such a beautiful nursemaid,
Such a beautiful fair-nursemaid,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-nursemaid,
Such a beautiful nursemaid.

The nursemaid took a servant,
The nursemaid took a servant,
The nursemaid took a fair-servant,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-servant,
The nursemaid took a servant.

Such a handsome servant,
Such a handsome servant,
Such a handsome fair-servant,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-servant,
Such a handsome servant.

The servant took a horse,
The servant took a horse,
The servant took a fair-horse,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-horse,
The servant took a horse.

Such a beautiful horse,
Such a beautiful horse,
Such beautiful fair-horse,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-horse,
Such a beautiful horse.

The horse took a dog,
The horse took a dog,
The horse took a fair-dog,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-dog,
The horse took a dog.

Such a beautiful dog,
Such a beautiful dog,
Such a beautiful fair-dog,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-dog,
Such a beautiful dog.

Now throw a farmer out,
Now throw a farmer out,
Now throw out a fair-farmer,
Hurrah, hurrah fair-farmer
Now throw a farmer out!