The Merry Old Soul

Old King Cole marries the Woman in the Shoe. As soon as they get home, the babies show up from every drawer and closet, much to the king’s chagrin. As the singers keep informing us (until the king shuts the window on them), it’s the end of his happiness. We spend most of the picture watching his baby assembly line, as he washes them, sends them through the rinse line, dries them with a roller towel, powders them, sends them floating along with balloons, diapers them with paper towels stapled in place, and finally flips them into sleep suits and into their cradles. Time to catch up on the sewing; the machine is connected to the cradles and rocks them as he sews. Once everyone is asleep, the king rests, until two babies run the machine at warp speed, sending everyone flying, ultimately into the king’s lap.