Simple Simon Lyrics
Simple Simon wants a pie with no money, fishes for a whale in a bucket and carries water in a sieve. His rhyme was known by the 1760s.
Simple Simon
Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Let me taste your ware."
More verses
Says the pieman to Simple Simon,
"Show me first your penny,"
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Indeed, I have not any."
Simple Simon went a-fishing
For to catch a whale;
All the water he could find
Was in his mother's pail!
Simple Simon went to look
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.
He went to catch a dicky bird,
And thought he could not fail,
Because he had a little salt,
To put upon its tail.
He went for water with a sieve,
But soon it ran all through;
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/simple-simon/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- First published
- 1760s
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Simple Simon met a pieman | Skip on the spot, then stop and wave hello. |
| Going to the fair | Walk your fingers along your arm. |
| Let me taste your ware | Rub your tummy hungrily. |
| Show me first your penny | Hold out a hand, palm up, waiting to be paid. |
| Indeed, I have not any | Turn out your pockets and shrug. |
What Does Simple Simon Mean?
Simple Simon is a lovable fool. He wants a pie without any money, fishes for a whale in a bucket, looks for plums on a thistle and carries water in a sieve. Each verse is a small joke about not thinking things through.
"Simple" here meant innocent or silly, not unkind. Children enjoy spotting what Simon gets wrong each time.
History and Origin
A little book called Simple Simon was sold by chapbook sellers in the 1760s, and the verses about the pieman became a standard part of Mother Goose collections in the 1800s.
The rhyme also gave its name to the game Simon Says, although the game and the rhyme developed separately.
Learning Activities
- What went wrong? After each verse, ask what Simon should have done instead.
- Sieve test: try carrying water in a sieve, then in a cup, just like Simon.
- Simon Says: play the classic listening game after singing.