The Cheese Stands Alone

Posted by ESC on August 31, 2001

In Reply to: The Cheese Stands Alone posted by ESC on August 31, 2001

: : Anyone know the origin and meaning of this expression, The Cheese Stands Alone?

: : Thanks ..

: It's from a children's game I believe.

www.parentcenter.com/
Games & Activities
The Farmer in the Dell
Ages 2 to 5

Number of participants: Nine kids
What players will need: To know the song
Length of time: Five to ten minutes

Rules of the game:
One person takes on the role of the farmer. The rest of the children form a circle around him and sing "The Farmer in the Dell." When they come to the second verse, "The farmer takes a wife," the farmer points to someone who then joins him in the center of the circle. The rest of the kids continue singing. In each verse of the song someone new is added to the dell, and the last child picked chooses a new person to join those who were picked before. When "the rat takes the cheese," the last child enters the circle. The rest of the children then form a circle around the cheese and sing the final verse,"the cheese stands alone." If the kids decide to play again, the cheese gets to be the farmer in the next game.

Song lyrics:
The farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the farmer in the dell.
The farmer takes a wife, the farmer takes a wife,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the farmer takes a wife.
The wife takes a child, the wife takes a child,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the wife takes a child.
The child takes a nurse, the child takes a nurse,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the child takes a nurse.
The nurse takes a cow, the nurse takes a cow,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the nurse takes a cow.
The cow takes a dog, the cow takes a dog,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the cow takes a dog.
The dog takes a cat, the dog takes a cat,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the dog takes a cat.
The cat takes a rat, the cat takes a rat,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the cat takes a rat.
The rat takes the cheese, the rat takes the cheese,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the rat takes the cheese.
The cheese stands alone, the cheese stands alone,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the cheese stands alone.