Six Little Kings

"Six Little Kings" is a popular children's song or lullaby believed to have originated from the city of Destries in the southern Sunscald. The song has since spread across the Sunscald coast, recieving some variations outside of Destries.

History and Practise

"Six Little Kings" appears to originate in the city of Destries - the city has a semi-standardised version of the song that differs from typical practise outside its cultural borders. The somewhat morbid lyrics detail an alleged custom in Destries' early history, where the petty nobles of Destries - the 'little kings with little rings' - would meet atop Destries' highest tower to vote on how to govern the city. These votes required unanimity, and there were alleged cases of nobles pushing individual dissenting voters off the edge of the tower to ensure votes passed. This system was gradually replaced within Destries by a council of three elected nobles, of which only two need to agree to pass laws, and it is theorised that this is why Destrian versions of the song stop at 'three little kings'.
"Six Little Kings" has become a popular song for young children across much of the Sunscald. One popular practise with the song is for multiple children (and potentially their parents or other relatives) to sing it on the side of a bed. On the final line of each verse, when "Off!" is uttered, the person furthest along on the bed rolls off the side, leaving those remaining in the bed to continue the song. While Destrian versions of the song usually peacefully end with 'three little kings' staying up the tower, variations from outside the city often end at 'one little king', with the remaining little king frequently jumping off the tower by choice. It is unclear whether these variations are due to the original message being lost as the song travelled, or if it was a deliberate change by Destries' rivals to make the Destrians look foolish, as some suggest. As the song doesn't actually mention Destries at any point, most believe in the former explanation.

Lyrics

Destrian Version

Non-Destrian Version

Six little kings with six little rings, Up to the tower they go! Five little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you go! Five little kings with five little rings, Up to the tower so high! Four little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you fly! Four little kings with four little rings, Up to the ve-ry top! Three little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you drop! Three little kings with three little rings, Up to the tower this day! Each little king says to each little king, Up here we should stay!

Six little kings with six little rings, Up to the tower they go! Five little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you go! Five little kings with five little rings, Up to the tower so high! Four little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you fly! Four little kings with four little rings, Up to the ve-ry top! Three little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you drop! Three little kings with three little rings, Up to the tower, them all! Two little kings say to one little king, Off the tower you fall! Two little kings with two little rings, Up to the tower, just two! One little king says to one little king, Off the tower with you! One little king with one little king, Up to the tower he goes! One little king says to one little king, Off the edge I'll go!

Audio and Sheet Music

Each verse in "Six Little Kings" follows the same melodic pattern.