Ding Dong Bell is a 16th Century traditional nursery rhyme about a cat that gets thrown in a well. The rhyme is also known as Ding Dong Dell, which you can read about and listen to on our website here.
The rhyme talks of a cat thrown in a well by a boy and then saved by another boy. Ding Dong Bell is a song to discourage children from being cruel to animals.
The song has rhyming words and a catchy tune that has enabled it to survive for as long as it has.
It is a testament to the power of oral literature, having been passed down through generations by word of mouth till we can enjoy it today.
Lyrics for Ding Dong Bell
Ding dong bell
Pussy’s in the well
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Green
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Stout
What a naughty boy was that
To try to drown poor Pussycat
Who never did him any harm
But killed all the mice in the farmer’s barn
In some modern versions, the word kitty replaces the word pussy. Also, some versions change the name of Johnny Green to either Johnny Thin or any other name.