Who Killed Cock Robin? is a
nursery rhyme of indeterminate origin, although assuredly from
England, where the
robin is plentiful. It is said to have first been printed in "Tommy Thumb's (Pretty) Song Book, 2 vol. (London, 1744)" and also appeared in later
Mother Goose collections. It seems there are multiple tunes to the same
lyrics. Many versions have since been published, with missing or additional
verses
text taken from http://www.geocities.com/earlcain2001/rhymecock.htm and was the most complete text I could locate.
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the
Sparrow,
With my bow and arrow,
I killed
Cock Robin.
Who saw him
die?
I, said the Fly,
With my
little eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his
blood?
I, said the
Fish,
With my little dish,
I caught his blood.
Who'll make his shroud?
I, said the
Beetle,
With my thread and
needle,
I'll make the shroud.
Who'll dig his grave?
I, said the Owl,
With my
pick and
shovel,
I'll dig his grave.
Who'll be the
parson?
I, said the
Rook,
With my little book,
I'll be the parson.
Who'll be the clerk?
I, said the
Lark,
If it's
not in the dark,
I'll be the clerk.
Who'll carry the link?
I, said the
Linnet,
I'll fetch it in a minute,
I'll carry the
link.
Who'll be
chief mourner?
I, said the
Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I'll be chief mourner.
Who'll
carry the coffin?
I, said the
Kite,
If it's not through the night,
I'll carry the
coffin.
Who'll bear the
pall?
We, said the
Wren,
Both the
cock and the
hen,
We'll bear the pall.
Who'll
sing a psalm?
I, said the
Thrush,
As she sat on a bush,
I'll sing a
psalm.
Who'll toll the
bell?
I, said the
Bull,
Because I can pull,
So Cock Robin,
farewell.
All
the birds of the air
Fell a-
sighing and a-
sobbing,
When they heard the
bell toll
For
poor Cock Robin.