Origins: My Pigeon House

Subject: Origins: My Pigeon House
From: Bard Judith
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 10:25 PM

I learned this from my mother, who tells me she learned it from Gran, and now I sing it to my little daughter as she cuddles before bedtime.

It seems from googling that other mothers and children know it, but no one has any more detail on the song. I'm sure the gaulimaufrey that is Mudcat will be able to help out!

Here are the lyrics I know:

My pigeon house I open wide
And I set all my pigeons free
They flap their wings, and they fly around
And they perch on the tallest tree.
And when they return from their merry merry flight
I close the doors, and I say, 'Good night!'
Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo, coo coo,
Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo....


And here is another version, from the web:

My pigeon house I open wide
And I set all my pigeons free
They fly away o'er every stoop
And they perch in the highest tree
And when they return from their merry, merry flight
They fold their wings and they say, "Goodnight"
Coo, coo. coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo
Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo.

I also found a variant with actions:

MY PIGEON HOUSE

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a house full of pretty white pigeons? They would coo softly while you fell asleep. You can play this bedtime game and pretend you have some pigeons of your very own."

My pigeon house I open wide...
(arms open wide)
They fly so high they reach the sky...
(arms up)
And alight on the tallest tree...
(arms up, fingers down)
And when they return...
I shut the door
(flap hands towards yourself)
And say good night.
(hands together at side of face as if sleeping)
Coo-oo coo-oo coo-oo coo --oo.