This Is The House That Jack Built
Lyrics
This is the house that Jack built.This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the man all tattered and tornThat kissed the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the judge all shaven and shornThat married the man all tattered and tornThat kissed the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rooster that crowed in the mornThat woke the judge all shaven and shornThat married the man all tattered and tornThat kissed the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the farmer sowing his cornThat kept the rooster that crowed in the mornThat woke the judge all shaven and shornThat married the man all tattered and tornThat kissed the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the horse and the hound and the hornThat belonged to the farmer sowing his cornThat kept the rooster that crowed in the mornThat woke the judge all shaven and shornThat married the man all tattered and tornThat kissed the maiden all forlornThat milked the cow with the crumpled hornThat tossed the dog that worried the catThat killed the rat that ate the maltThat lay in the house that Jack built.
History and Meaning
"This Is the House That Jack Built" grows backwards: each verse adds a link, the malt, the rat, the cat, the dog, then recites the whole chain again right back to the house. The form is ancient, echoing the Passover song "Chad Gadya," and it reached print in 1755.
Origins
The song has deep roots in British oral tradition, with its earliest known printed version appearing in London in 1755. It was published in the children's book Nurse Truelove's New-Year's-Gift, or the Book of Books for Children.
Scholars have suggested that the rhyme's cumulative structure may have been inspired by older religious hymns. A notable example is "Chad Gadya" (One Kid), an Aramaic cumulative song first printed in Prague in 1590 as part of the Jewish Passover seder. Additionally, nineteenth-century collector James Orchard Halliwell noted that the inclusion of the "priest all shaven and shorn" suggests the lyrics could date back to the mid-sixteenth century, around the time of the English Reformation.
Meaning & Interpretation
The rhyme's eleven verses introduce a series of characters and actions that revolve around a simple store of malt inside a house built by Jack. The chain connects a rat, a cat, a dog, a cow, a maiden, a man, a judge, a rooster, a farmer, and a horse.
The song has historically been adapted for political and social commentaries. In 1819, the writer William Hone published The Political House That Jack Built, using the rhyme's structure to satirize the British government and advocate for press freedom. Today, it remains a favorite for early childhood education, helping young children practice sequencing, memory retention, and language patterns.
When was This Is the House That Jack Built first published?
The rhyme was first published in London in 1755 in the children's collection Nurse Truelove's New-Year's-Gift.
What is the meaning of This Is the House That Jack Built?
The rhyme is a cumulative nonsense story that links everyday farmyard elements (like malt, rats, cats, and cows) into an increasingly long chain of events. Its primary contemporary purpose is to help children practice memory, pacing, and vocabulary.
Music Video
Lyrics from nurseryrhymes.info