It starts with Jean Petit dancing for "the king" (or just for fun), establishing a joyful, high-energy mood [1].
The "Mai-ai-ai-ain" and "Pied-ied-ied-ied" vocal flourishes are fun for kids to mimic as they develop their speech [1].
With each verse, Jean Petit adds a new body part to the dance. It usually starts with his finger , then moves to his hand , arm , leg , and head [2].