ODNR summarizes three theories as to who Old King Cole might have been, including the one above. Oldest text is of 1708-9, next, that from David Herd's MSS, c 1776. {see Han Hecht's 'Songs from David Herd's MSS')

Humpty Dumpty as the cannon is from David Daube, "in one of his spoof nursery-rhyme histories for 'The Oxford Magazine', 1956", which, it seems, has been take seriously by some. There are other theories, and the earliest text is of 1797.,

ODNR doesn't have "Kilkenny Cats"

[ODNR is stocked by Borders Bookstores]