He Called For His "MMM-MMM"

It's been awhile since I brushed up on my Mother Goose rhymes. Jack is elbow deep in them during his kindergarten year, and he occasionally helps me to uncover those memories that haven't quite been purged from memory. We chatted in the car today, and Jack instructed me about Ol' King Cole. A sing songy Jack says...

Ol' King Cole was a merry ol' soul

A merry ol' soul was he!

He called for his pipe

and he called for his bowl

and he called for his...

There was a pause.
A sing songy Jack tries again.

Ol' King Cole was a merry ol' soul

A merry ol' soul was he!

He called for his pipe

and he called for his bowl

and he called for his... ummm..... Mom?

Don't look at me, Jack. I'm not going to be any help here. You've gotten way further than me as it is. After the first two lines, I'm out of answers.

So he experiments. Trial and error works sometimes.

Ol' King Cole was a merry ol' soul

A merry ol' soul was he!

He called for his pipe

and he called for his bowl

and he called for his.... peglers?... three

Peglers, Jack? Do you think that's it? He apparently decides to try again.

Ol' King Cole was a merry ol' soul
A merry ol' soul was he!
He called for his pipe
and he called for his bowl
and he called for his brothers three

Ah, Jack! That makes more sense. Do you think it's brothers? He doesn't think so. He goes back to peglers. Jack, I don't think it's peglers. That's not a word. Could it be "peddlers?" That sounds a little like peglers.

Yes! Peddlers! That's it. That sounds more familiar, mom.

I am now proud of myself.
A sing songy Jack reviews the new ending.

and he calls for his "mmm-mmm" three!

Wait a minute, Jack. I thought you decided it was peddlers.

No, that's not it, mom. I'm saying mmm-mmm for the "mystery word" that I DON'T know. (There was some attitude there. You're not imagining it.)

Mother Goose gets dropped from the conversation for awhile. But because Jack is his mother's child, he is struck hard by a sudden and very unexpected brainstorm in the tub - three hours later.

Mom! I know it! He called for his pipe and he called for bowl, and he called for his BEGLERS three.

Jack, I just don't think that's it. I'm sorry, baby. Beglers isn't a word either.

Obviously bummed now, Ughh. Well, when I'm watching it in my mind there's these three pigs and they're playing violins. I just don't know the word. Shoulder slump.

Oh? They were playing violins? I bet the word is fiddlers. Jack! Fiddlers!

FIDDLERS! YES! IT'S FIDDLERS, MOM! (huge eyes, breathing hard, grinning ear to ear) I LOVE you, Mom.