Here's a fun animation we created for this rhyme.
(Scroll down for the lyrics.)

Here's an... idiosyncratic... version of Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling performed by my husband, Jason Pomerantz, and Calvin.

Thanks, Jason and Calvin, for this fun video!

At first glance, it would seem that the phrase "Diddle, diddle, dumpling" is nonsense. However, upon a little research, I've found it can roughly translate to, "Toddle, toddle, dumpling" (dumpling meaning plump little kid in a friendly sort of way). Here's why...

*The Oxford English Dictionary gives the following definition for Diddle: "To walk unsteadily, as a child; to toddle; = daddle. Obs."

Here's an example it gives of diddle used in print in 1632: "And when his forward strength began to bloom, To see him diddle up and down the Room!"

**The Oxford English Dictionary gives the following definition for Dumpling: "2. A dumpy animal or person, short and of rounded outlines."

Here's an example it gives of it used in print in 1828: "Dumpling, a little fat child or person, as broad as long."

*****

Denslow's Mother Goose (1901) has the first line as "Deedle Deedle Dumpling".

The version of the rhyme below is from The Real Mother Goose (1916), illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright. It's interesting to see how they name the clothing in their version...

Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his breeches on,
One stocking off, and one stocking on;
Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John.

Here's the version from Harry's Ladder to Learning (1850):

Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his breeches on;
One shoe off, the other shoe on,
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.

Here's the version from The Little Mother Goose (1912):

Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my son John,
Went to bed with his stockings on;
One shoe off, and one shoe on,
Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my son John.

Here's the Scottish version as found in A Book for Bairns and Big Folk, Children's Rhymes, Games, Songs, and Stories, 2nd edition (1904) by Robert Ford:

Hey diddle dumplin' my son John,
Went to his bed with his trowsers on;
One shoe off and the other shoe on,
Hey diddle dumplin', my son John.

The 1st illustration towards the bottom of the page is from The Real Mother Goose (1916), illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright. The 2nd illustration at the bottom is from The Little Mother Goose (1912), illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith.

View This Page In  English  French  Spanish