Fascinating to read all these versions. My father recited it to me and now I am too - to the delight of my grandchildren. Our version is slightly different and does scan better than many of the above. Interesting how we had the nose rather differently and cotton reel rather than Beechams Pill. My father was in amateur theatre in the 1930's and also in India and Burma in WW2.

Once in China there lived a great man
His name was Chick a racka ching chong chan
His nose was long and his feet were small
And the poor little Chinaman he couldn't walk at all.

Hey........Chack a racka ching chong
Cha chicka lora kondolora mick picky whack! (the kids love an extended "Hey" before the chorus is sung fast and then very fast.)

His servants used to take him out
they used to think him rather stout
They took him up to the top of a hill
And rolled him down on a cotton reel.

Chorus (fast)

I shall definately add some of the other verses about his wife and death