On a far away island Of Salamasond Yertle the turtle Was king of the pond A nice little pond It was clean it was neat The water was warm There was plenty to eat Until one day The king of them all Decided the kingdom He ruled was too small I'm a ruler of all that I see But I don't see enough And that's the trouble with me
With this stone for a throne I am too low down I cannot look down Upon the places beyond So Yertle the turtle king Lifted his hand And Yertle the turtle king Lifted his hand He ordered all the turtles Onto one another's back He piled them high Into a ten turtle stack I'm Yertle the turtle The things I now rule I'm king of a cow I'm king of a mule
Then down from below In the great turtle stack Came a burp from a plain Little turtle named Mack Just part of the throne This burpin' little turtle Looked up and said 'I beg Your pardon king Yertle' I've pains in my back My shoulders and my knees How long must we stand Here your majesty 'Silence !' the king of the Turtles barked back To the bad burpin' Little turtle named Mack I'm Yertle the turtle Oh marvelous me for I am ruler of all that I see
Yertle, Yertle the turtle Yertle, Yertle the turtle