"Old King Cole" is a British nursery rhyme most likely deriving from ancient Welsh. The historical identity of King Cole has been much debated and several candidates have been advanced as possibilities.[citation needed] It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 1164. The poem describes a merry king who called for his pipe, his bowl, and his three fiddlers.br br Lyricsbr br The song was first recorded by William King in his Useful Transactions in Philosophy in 1708--9.br br The most common modern version of the rhyme is:br br Old King Cole was a merry old soulbr And a merry old soul was he;br He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowlbr And he called for his fiddlers three.br Every fiddler he had a fiddle,br And a very fine fiddle had he;br Oh there's none so rare, as can comparebr With King Cole and his fiddlers three.br br William King's version has the following lyrics:br br Good King Cole,br And he call'd for his Bowle,br And he call'd for Fidler's three;br And there was Fiddle, Fiddle,br And twice Fiddle, Fiddle,br For 'twas my Lady's Birth-day,br Therefore we keep Holy-daybr And come to be merry.br br Originsbr br Cole (or more properly Coel, pronounced like "co-ell" or the English word "coil", and not "coal" as in the rhyme) is a Brythonic name. It may have been borne by a number of noted figures in the history and legends of Roman and sub-Roman Britain, most notably by Coel Hen, or Coel the Old.