History & Politics

When good king Arthur ruled this land

by Anonymous (English nursery rhymes) traditional; recorded 17th–19th century

From The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by J. O. Halliwell (London: Warne; first ed. 1842; this printing 1886)

History & Politics

When good king Arthur ruled this land,
He was a goodly king;
He stole three pecks of barley-meal,
To make a bag-pudding.

A bag-pudding the king did make,
And stuff'd it well with plums:
And in it put great lumps of fat,
As big as my two thumbs.

The king and queen did eat thereof,
And noblemen beside;
And what they could not eat that night,
The queen next morning fried.

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Halliwell's class: Historical.

MLA

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “When good king Arthur ruled this land.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/1/.

Chicago

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “When good king Arthur ruled this land.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/1/.

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