Old King Cole

Big Fiddle – Pilgrim Cole

Old King Cole here looks more like an American pilgrim than an early English monarch. This is a variation from most images for this rhyme in that it is King Cole himself who is playing the fiddle, not three other fiddlers. Look closely at the instrument and you may be able to see that an actual rubber band is used to depict the strings in this toy book. (The original rubber band from the 1941 edition had deteriorated and was replaced for this scanning.) Soft warm colors and the expression on the character’s face convey a quiet pleasure rather than the boisterous spirit seem in many versions of this rhyme.