C. T. Suddeth

Who was Old King Cole? During a discussion of British kings named Cole, someone pointed out: ceol in Gaelic means music. Ceilidh is used for music gatherings. Pipes refers to bagpipes while bowl is a drinking vessel. I hoped to have a King Arthur connection.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler he had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he;
Oh there’s none so rare, as can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.

Original 1708  version:

Good King Cole,
And he call’d for his Bowle,
And he call’d for Fidler’s three;
And there was Fiddle, Fiddle,
And twice Fiddle, Fiddle,
For ’twas my Lady’s Birth-day,
Therefore we keep Holy-day
And come to be merry.