King's Chair Lyrics
Two children cross their arms to make a seat, carry a third child along on it, and chant four lines about the King's chair.
King's Chair
King, King Cairy
London lairy,
Milk an bread,
In the King's chairie.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/kings-chair/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted as the carriers walk
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| King, King Cairy | The two carriers cross arms and grip each other's wrists. |
| Milk an bread | The rider holds on round their necks. |
| In the King's chairie | The carriers set the rider down with a bow. |
What Does King's Chair Mean?
The rhyme goes with a carrying game. Two children join hands by crossing their arms so that they form a seat. A third child sits on the crossed arms and clasps the carriers round the neck, and they walk along while they say the words.
Cairy stands for carry, and "chairie" is a small chair, so the child being carried is being treated like a king. The mention of London and of milk and bread are part of the sing-song and need no explaining to a small child.
History and Origin
Alice Bertha Gomme prints the game in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1894). The Rev. W. Gregor reports that at Keith it is played without words, and that at Fochabers the words are used.
She adds that Jamieson gives a rhyme for the same game in Lothian that begins "Lend me a pin to stick i' my thumb". Brockett's North Country Words calls the seat the King's Cushion. In other counties it was called Queen's Cushion, Queen's Chair and Cat's Carriage.
Learning Activities
- Make the seat: two strong helpers cross arms and carry a light friend a few steps.
- Safe carrying: practice with a grown-up watching, and always carry on soft ground.
- Other names: use the names Queen's Chair and Cat's Carriage in play.