# Hickory Dickory Dock

"Hickory Dickory Dock" is an English nursery rhyme, first printed in 1744, in which a mouse runs up and down a striking clock; its nonsense opening may come from old shepherds' counting words.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | May 1744 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional, counting |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/hickory-dickory-dock/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

### Verse 2 (en)

Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two,
And down he flew,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

## How to sing it

1. Run two fingers up the other arm as the mouse climbs the clock.
2. Clap or nod once for each stroke as the clock strikes the hour.
3. Run your fingers back down again as the mouse escapes.
4. Add a verse for each new hour — two, three, four — and let the children call out the number.

## Common questions

**How old is "Hickory Dickory Dock"?**

The earliest known version is in "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book", published in London in May 1744, where it begins "Hickere, Dickere Dock". It is one of the oldest surviving English nursery rhymes.

**What do the words "hickory dickory dock" mean?**

They are mostly playful nonsense, but they may come from counting. Some commentators link them to counting-out rhymes, and to the numbers "hevera" (8), "devera" (9) and "dick" (10) once used by shepherds in Westmorland, which come from the old Cumbric language.

**Is "Hickory Dickory Dock" based on a real clock?**

One tradition connects it to the astronomical clock at Exeter Cathedral, which has a small hole in the door beneath the face — said to have been cut for the cathedral cat to hunt mice.

**How do you make "Hickory Dickory Dock" last longer?**

Add a verse for each hour the clock strikes: the mouse runs up, the clock strikes two (or three, or four), and down he flies again. It doubles nicely as a gentle counting game.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Hickory Dickory Dock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickory_Dickory_Dock)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3135210