

“The Farmer in the Dell” is a nursery rhyme and singing game.
The German song “Es fuhr ein Bau’r ins Holz” seems to be the same rhyme, despite the different plot of the story, and it was first recorded in Germany in 1826. It was probably immigrants that brought it to North America. The melody is similar to that of A-Hunting We Will Go.
On this page you can find a Sing-along video with Lyrics, as well as Karaoke MP3 and MP4 files for Free Download.
Table of Contents
- Sing-Along Video
- Free karaoke MP3 download
- MP4 Video File | Free Download
- Sheet music with chords
- Free Printable PDF with Lyrics and Sheet Music
- Teaching idea & activities
Sing-Along Video
Lyrics
1. The farmer in the dell
The farmer in the dell
Heigh-ho, the derry-o
The farmer in the dell
2. The farmer takes a wife
The farmer takes a wife
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The farmer takes a wife
3. The wife takes the child
The wife takes the child
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The wife takes the child
4. The child takes the nurse
The child takes the nurse
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The child takes the nurse
5. The nurse takes the cow
The nurse takes the cow
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The nurse takes the cow
6. The cow takes the dog
The cow takes the dog
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The cow takes the dog
7. The dog takes the cat
The dog takes the cat
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The dog takes the cat
8. The cat takes the mouse (or rat)
The cat takes the mouse
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The cat takes the mouse
9. The mouse takes the cheese
The mouse takes the cheese
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The mouse takes the cheese
10. The cheese stands alone
The cheese stands alone
Heigh-ho, the derry-o…
The cheese stands alone
Click on the button to watch a karaoke video and download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.
Click on the button to watch a piano tutorial video and download a PDF file with piano sheet music for beginners of this song for free.
Click on the button to watch a glockenspiel / xylophone tutorial video and download a free printable PDF file with glockenspiel / xylophone Music Sheet and Note Chart of this song.
Free karaoke MP3 download
To download your free instrumental mp3 of this song, click or tap on the following button, then choose “Save link as…”
“The Farmer in the Dell” free mp3 download (instrumental, 1:52 – 3/4 – 160 bpm)
This track is also featured in our New Album with 50 Instrumental Nursery Rhymes for karaoke, OUT NOW!
MP4 Video File | Free Download
To watch the karaoke video of this song on your mobile device, click on the following link to download the video file (mp4 format).
The Farmer in the Dell | Free mp4 Video File Download
Sheet music with chords
To save this free music sheet of “The Farmer in the Dell” to your computer, right click (or tap and hold, on mobile devices) and choose “Save Image As…”.

Free Printable PDF with Lyrics and Sheet Music
To download a ready-to-print PDF of this song for music activities with a music sheet, lyrics and a drawing for kids to paint, right click (or tap and hold) on the following link, then choose “Save link as…”.
“The Farmer in the Dell” free PDF download – Singing Bell
You can click on the button for a printable PDF file with Guitar Chords, Tabs and Sheet Music for this song for free.
Teaching idea & activities
The following game is common for this song:
The children form a circle, with one child as the “farmer” in the middle. They join hands and sing marching around the farmer.
The “farmer” chooses a “wife”, the “wife” chooses a child, etc.
In the end, the “cheese” is clapped out and must begin as a farmer.

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