Can Anyone Help with the Words to a Russian Lullaby called “My Pigeon House”?

Edie Rosen wrote:

Does anyone know the history of the lullaby, My Pigeon House? I would suspect it’s Russian… my grandmother sang it to us when we were little, and she would be way past 100 yrs old today. I sang it to my kids and we are now singing it to my grandchildren.

It’s so wonderful to be able to pass on such an endearing song to my grandchild, who sings along with me when I put him to bed. He has such a look of love in his eyes, and he just turned 2. He loves the ‘coo-ooh’ part near the end.

Okay – here’s my version:

My pigeon house, I open wide and let all the pigeons fly…
They fly over here, and they fly over there and they fly all over the sky…
And when they return from their merry, merry flight…
I shut the door and say – good-night…
Coo-oo Coo-oo Coo-oo Coo-oo Coo-oo Coo-oo Coo-oo.

Thanks for posting my question, Lisa.

Edie Rosen

If anyone knows the Russian words to this lullaby and/or the history of it, please comment below, or email me.

Thanks!

Lisa

UPDATE: You can find many different versions of My Pigeon House in the comments below, feel free to add one you know!

Here’s a YouTube video I found of My Pigeon House…

This article was posted on Sunday, July 29th, 2007 at 12:58 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Languages, Lullabies, Questions, Readers Questions, Russia, Russian, Russian Children's Songs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

52 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with the Words to a Russian Lullaby called “My Pigeon House”?”

  1. Stephanie Says:

    I am a music teacher who 1st heard this song when I was a 1st grader and now use it to close all my music lessons with K-2nd graders. I have no earthly idea who wrote it or even if I am singing it exactly how I learned it from MY music teacher 30 years ago. Here’s my version:

    My pigeon house I open wide and I set all my pigeons free.
    They fly over hill and they fly over dell till they land in the tallest tree.
    But when they return from their weary, weary flight,
    They close their eyes and say good-night.
    Coo…etc.

  2. Lisa Says:

    David wrote:

    How interesting!

    My German grandmother (now 95), whose parents hail from what was Prussia used to sing this song to us kids when we were little (I am now 35). I whole-heartily agree with the touching nature of the song. I have taught what I remember of it to my wife and we too put our children to bed with it. They love it!

    I happened to Google the lyrics to see if I had remembered them correctly and found your post along with about 5 versions of the song. My version was not to be found, I thought I would share it with you:

    My pigeon house I open wide and let my pigeons free
    They fly about from every roost and land in the tallest tree
    And when they return at the end of day
    I shut the door and I say goodnight

    Coo, coo, coo, etc.

  3. Erin Says:

    Well, I have yet another version of this wonderful lullabye!

    My pigeon house, I open wide
    and set all my pigeons free.
    They fly all around
    and up, and down,
    and light in the tallest tree.
    And when they return from their merry, merry flight,
    they close their eyes and say “Good night”
    Coo-coo-coo-coo
    Coo-ooh-coo-ooh-ooh-ohh (whisper) Good night!

    I wish I could what other versions of the melody there are! (I learned this from my folk-music-loving, uber-musical mother.)

  4. Lisa Says:

    I’d love to hear this lullaby. If anyone would like to sing it, please send me an mp3!

    -Mama Lisa

  5. Jenny Says:

    I was just searching the internet to find out some history about this lullaby myself! My grandmother used to sing this to me when I was little and now I sing it to my daughter who loves it. My grandmother was 100% Swedish so I had thought it had Swedish background. Here is my version:

    My pigeon house I open wide and set my pigeon’s free. They fly over the hill and over everywhere and land on the tallest tree. When they return from their merry merry flight, I close the door and say goodnight. Coo-oo, Coo-oo, Coo-oo, Coo-oo, Coo-oo, Coo-oo, Coo-oo.

  6. Paul Says:

    My grandma was of poor Austrian descent and possibly jewish. She would be 102 in 2008. She sang this lullaby to probably all of her 34 grandkids.
    Her version went like this and sung as it is written:
    My y pige o n house
    I-I o pe n wide
    And I let my pige ons free…
    They y climb so o high
    They y reach the e sky
    And they land
    On the tall-est tree…
    A-and when they return
    To thier me-rry-y nest
    I close
    my eyes
    and I say
    goodnight!
    coo loo
    coo loo
    coo oo loo
    coo oo loo
    coo o loo
    coo loo
    coo loo

  7. Marc Says:

    My mom used to sing this to us for a lullaby, and I presumed she got it from her mother who was German. We now sing it for our kids too and the words I know are:

    My pigeon house lay open wide,
    who knows where my pigeons be.
    They flew so high, into the sky
    and haven’t come home to me.

    But when they return from their
    merry, merry flight –
    I’ll shut the door, and I’ll say,
    Good-night.

    Coorroo, coorroo, coorroo, coorroo,
    cooroo, coorroo coorro.
    (we usually did with kind of a rolled r sound on the coorroos)

    I kind of like this version as it is kind of wistfull, a little sad. Makes me think about our kids growing up and flying off in the world, and hoping they’ll come back from time-to-time. Anyway, I think it’s one of the best bedtime songs – at least it was my favorite as a kid. We also like the “How Much is that Doggie in the Window” one.

    It was nice to run across these comments and I’m interested to see what else people might post about the history of this song. Thanks!

    Marc

  8. Shera Says:

    Hi!
    I’m writing a paper about my family and need to put in a section about a family song that was passed down. I chose this song and was surprised to find all these versions! My great Grandmother sang this song to her children and Grandchildren and since then it just stuck.

    Maybe we should start a club! (Evidently this song comes from a German folk song called “Muss i denn” you can check out clips on YouTube of Elvis and many others.)

    Shera

  9. Monique Says:

    You can hear the tune to “Muss i denn” on Frank Peterson’s site http://ingeb.org/Lieder/MussIDen.html This song is from Swabia (part of Baden-Württenberg and part of Bavaria states in Germany)

  10. Lisa Says:

    Linda wrote me…

    I want to thank you for posting the pigeon house song.

    Many years ago, we had a pastor who had retired and was called back into the ministry to serve. His wife had worked with the children’s divisions during their years of service. I think she knew every craft and Bible story imaginable. They served our congregation for 4 years before retiring ‘again’.

    Their last summer with us, she conducted Vacation Bible School. It was a wonderful experience that some of us ‘old timers’ still talk about from time to time. It was then that she taught the children the Pigeon Song. First time I heard it, it almost made me cry due to the pretty tune, the gentle hand motions and the message it carried. What could be more gentle than a mother pigeon settling her little ones in for the night .. with her special sound.

    I have sang this to my grandchildren and other children that have passed through my life. Thank you, my dear, for sparking a wonderful memory. I am rambling, so I will close.

    Blessings and regards,

    Linda

    Thanks for sharing that with us Linda! If anyone would like to send in a recording so we can hear this song, I’d love to post one!

    -Mama Lisa

  11. Lisa Says:

    I just found this version below of The Pigeon House. In the book it’s called “A Froebel Finger Play”. Froebel (1782 – 1852) was from Germany. He invented the word kindergarten. He advocated the importance of singing, dancing and playing (with toys like blocks) in early childhood education. This may be called a “Froebel Finger Play” simply because Froebel found finger plays to be important to learning and The Pigeon House can be played as one:

    THE PIGEON HOUSE

    Now I’m going to open my pigeon-house door.
    The pigeons fly out to the light,
    Straight to the meadows so pleasant they soar,
    And flutter about with delight.
    But at evening they’ll all come home at last,
    And the door of the house I’ll then shut fast.

    This version can be found in Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17), Fun and Thought for Little Folk (1912).

  12. Maryann McFadden Says:

    I am a writer, and I know of this song because my Irish mother-in-law sang it to my kids when they were young. Her father sang it to all of his children, and I assumed it was of Irish origin.
    I am using it in my second novel, which is coming out nex summer, and my editor wants me to find out if I need to get copyright permission. And I found this site?
    Anyone have any thoughts on that?
    I had no idea it had Russian origins (I am part Lithuanian (Abromitis). I can’t believe how many people grew up with this song, and it thrills me to think how they will be touched when they read it in my new novel.

  13. bronco Says:

    My mother sang this version to me which seems to be a variation but I cannot remember how it ends. Can anyone help?

    Coo-oo-oo Coo-oo-o
    I open wide my pigeon house door
    The pigeons fly out and away they soar
    They fly to green fields and spreading trees
    Where all little birdies long to be
    ……………………………………
    ……………………………………
    ……………………………………

    I think there was one more verse, presumably about them flying back again

  14. Cindy Says:

    Wow! I looked this song up because my mother sang it to me as a lullaby and now I sing it to my children. I wondered what the words were, as I feel like I’m guessing on some of them. I was so pleased to see these different versions! This is the version I remember…

    My pige-on house, I will o-pen wide
    and set- my pigeons free.
    They will fly over hill, over dale, and gale (I thought that word was probably wrong haha) and light on the tall-est tree.
    And when they return from their lofty flight-
    I will close the door and say, “goodnight”.
    Coo-rah-coo, coo-rah-coo,
    coo-rah-coo, coo-rah-coo,
    coo-rah-coo, coo-rah-coo,
    goodnight.

  15. mayaluna Says:

    I can’t believe how many of us share not only this song, but the feelings and memories it evokes. My grandmother (of Romanian descent) sang it to my mother (and me) and now both my sister and I sing it to our children. It is our family song. I love all of the versions here. My grandmother had a nursery school for over fifty years. One of the records that she played for the children had a story about a mother who can’t remember the family song’s tune all of sudden. She never uses the words, but the tune is Pigeon house. The story was called The Sleepy Family.
    Our version:
    My pigeon house
    I open wide and I set my pigeons free
    They fly so high… ’till they reach the sky
    And they light on the tallest tree
    And when they return to their merry, merry nest…
    I shut the door
    And I say “good night”
    coorooocoo coorooocoo coorooocooo corooocooo…

    My mother also used to sing it to me in Spanish.

  16. Lisa Says:

    If anyone would like to sing this song for us, I’d love to hear it! These versions are all wonderful. I’d be curious about the Spanish lyrics too!

    Cheers!

    Mama Lisa

  17. Nancy Says:

    I first heard this version of My Pigeon House in Spanish when I lived in Puerto Rico.

    Cuando abra la puerta de mi palomar mis pigeones volando se van.
    Ellos vuelan por montes muy lejos de aqui y en los techos se pasan asi Luego mas tarde vuelven a venir, cierra la puerta y se van a dormir Curacu Curacu Curacu Curacu Curacu Curacu Curacu.

  18. r rubins Says:

    my father used to sing me this song too. his version:

    My pigeon house I open wide
    and I let all the pigeons free
    they fly so high that they reach they sky
    and they light in the tallest tree
    and when they return to their merry merry nest
    I shut the door and I say good night
    coo oo x7

    if you find the words in Russian or Yiddish please send them to me! thanks. Rosette

  19. Rochelle Says:

    Dear Edie:

    My daughter forwarded your e-mail to me asking about My Pigeon House.

    I learned this song in nursery school, and although I am of Russian descent, I learned it from my teacher and I do not know the Russian words. I haven’t heard the song since, or seen any reference to it, since nursery school—a long time ago since I will be 72 this week:

    Here are the words I learned:

    My pigeon house I open wide and set all the pigeons free
    They fly all around from place to place and light on the tallest tree
    And when they return from their merry, merry flight
    They shut the door and they say goodnight.

    Coo-roo Coo-roo Coo-roo Coo-roo
    Coo-roo Coo-roo Coo-roo

  20. Lisa Says:

    Thanks for sharing that! We’re starting to wonder if a Russian version exists of this song!

  21. Victoria Says:

    Hello!
    Well, according to all these posts, it seems that some version of “the pigeon song” comes from almost every country in Europe. My 79-year-old grandmother (as of 2009) sang version to me. Her mother sang it to her when she was growing up. Both were/are 100% Hungarian. (But since her mother immigrated through Ellis Island & lived in the U.S, I’m wondering if she may have picked this song up somewhere along the way between immigrating to the U.S. in 1905 at age 5 & giving birth to my grandmother.)

    The version I was taught as a child (well, at least what I can remember. I was very young) says nothing of a pigeon house. Now I’m wondering if it’s even the same song. Do these lyrics ring any bells for anyone? :

    “…. and set my pigeons free.
    They fly so high
    up to the sky,
    And then they come back to me.
    Cooroo, cooroo
    Cooroo, cooroo.
    And then they come back to me…”

    There were more lyrics at the beginning which I’ve now forgotten. It would be very much appreciated if anyone could identify this song, better yet let me know where I could get a copy of this song online (which is really what I’m looking for!) :D thank you VERY much!

  22. Amanda Says:

    Sung to me by mother of Irish/Hungarian descent and so glad to know it is a song enjoyed all over by so many! Our version:

    My pigeon house is open wide
    and I set all my pigeons free
    They fly away to every side
    And they light on the tallest tree
    And when they return from their daily flight
    I close the door and I say good night
    Cooaroo Cooaroo Cooaroo Cooaroo
    Cooaroo Cooaroo good night
    And whey they return from their daily flight
    I close the door and I say good night
    Cooaroo Cooaroo Cooaroo Cooaroo
    Cooaroo Cooaroo good night

  23. Molly M. Nightingale Says:

    A friend gave me the sheet music for this song, and I want to learn more about it for a songbook I’m compiling.

    It has been pointed out that the tune is from the German (Swabian) song “Muss Ich Denn.”Wikapedia tells my that many Swabian people immigrated from Germany to Hungary, Austria, Romania, Russia, and Prussia, all countries people on this and other websites claim the song has come from. I especially noticed that all mention of Russia background (except the original question here) states that the nationality was German, and the area was Prussia. Prussia had many, many German immigrants in the 1700’s.

    Mudcat offers a German version here: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=85257

    That makes it seem likely that the “pigeon house” words originated from Germany. I would say it must be very old, to take into account the travels through Europe before coming to the states. (This would answer the copywrite question: songs written before 1922 are public domain, not copywrited.) Also the need to have been translated to English would easily account for all the different versions out there.

    One thing most posts do not mention is what language all these “grandma’s” sang it in. I know a Spanish version is above, and my husband’s German/Mennonite uncle just sang it in Spanish to my children yesterday, to my surprise. Bit he would have learned it in Mexico (among the German/Mennonite immigrants from Prussia that settled in that area), not Spain, and the other mention is Puerto Rico, so I lean toward thinking it is a recent version.

    Anyone please contact me with more info.

    mollynightingale@att.net

  24. Lisa Says:

    Shi-Hsia Hwa wrote:

    Hello Lisa,

    I was doing a Google search for that lullaby and your page came up. My sister was taught it in kindergarten in Malaysia, which is rather strange considering that pigeons in Malaysia are kept in individual cages, nobody has dovecotes. If it’s originally Russian I have to wonder how it made its way over to Southeast Asia.

    Anyway, this is the version we learned:

    My pigeon house I open up and I set all my pigeons free
    They fly around on every side and they perch on the highest tree When they return from their merry, merry flight
    They close their eyes and they say good night Coo-coo, etc.

    Your website’s really nice!

    -Shi-Hsia Hwa

    Thanks for writing! -Mama Lisa

  25. Lisa Says:

    David Swanson sent me this note:

    How interesting!

    My German grandmother (now 95), whose parents hail from what was Prussia used to sing this song to us kids when we were little (I am now 35). I whole-heartily agree with the touching nature of the song. I have taught what I remember of it to my wife and we too put our children to bed with it. They love it!

    I happened to Google the lyrics to see if I had remembered them correctly and found your post along with about 5 versions of the song. My version was not to be found, I thought I would share it with you:

    My pigeon house I open wide and let my pigeons free
    They fly about from every roost and land in the tallest tree
    And when they return at the end of day
    I shut the door and I say goodnight

    Coo, coo, coo, etc.

  26. Mike Says:

    I am a 3rd grade teacher in Dallas. I first heard this song in 1963 when I was in 1st grade….in central Illinois.

    I remember a few different words…”they fly over hills and they fly over dells”

  27. Donna Says:

    I have been searching for the story with this song for years. First heard it in kindergarten in 1959 on a record (everyday for nap time). It was beautifully done- with about 4 other songs on the record. The mom “lost” the song and different people tried to sing the baby to sleep. Anyone know where this version can be found?

  28. Valerie Says:

    This is the first song (of thousands!) that I remember from my childhood. I always thought it was part of my New England heritage, as I never heard it in other parts of the country, nor from anyone outside of my family. There are hand movements to go with it, imitating the opening of the pigeon house, and the flying around, etc. Here is our version, which was our lullaby at bedtime:

    I open wide my pigeon house, and set all the pigeons free.
    They fly around on every site, and light in the tallest tree.
    And when they return from their merry, merry flight,
    I close my pigeon house up tight.
    Coo-roo, coo-roo, etc.

    My cat finds it very soothing nowadays.

  29. Lu-Ann Says:

    I was just going through my music books and found this song, but hadn’t heard it for a while and Goggle the song to listen to the tune again and found this site.

    The Lyrics in my book (Finger Play by Mary Miller and Paula Zajan)are:
    My pigeon house I open wide,
    And I set all the pigeons free.
    They fly all around and up and down
    Then they sit on the tallest tree.
    But when they return from their merry, merry flight,
    They shut their eyes and day, “good night”.
    Coo- roo coo- roo
    it calls it a German Folk Song with the comment (“muss i’ denn”) and also has a piano arrangement.

  30. Mal Says:

    It’s been wonderful to read these posts and watch the video clip. I have wanted to find the words for many years, I am now 48 and learnt the song at early primary school (about 6 yo) in Sydney Australia.

    Thanks all for your posts.

  31. Vanessa Says:

    My baby is turning 21 this month. Remembering all the things we did through the years. My pigeon house was a ritual at bedtime.
    My recollection of the words are:
    My pigeon house I open wide
    At let all my pigeons free.
    They fly away, away, away
    And they perch on the tallest tree.
    And when they return
    from their merry merry flight
    They close their eyes and they say good night.
    Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo, coo coo,
    coo coo, coo coo, coo coooo.

  32. Jacquelyn Myhre Says:

    When I was a kindergarten teacher in Kalamazoo, MI ,I played the record that had the Pigeon House song and the Sleepy Family for nap (rest) time. I also played it for my kindergarteners at Sunkist Elementary School in Anaheim, CA My version was closest to that of Mayaluna on this site. I really enjoyed reading all the different versions. I hope my students remember this song.

  33. Violet Cook Says:

    I was born and raised in New Zealand, my maternal family are of Irish descent. This song has been sung through many generations on that side. Coincidentally my father in law, also had this song sung to him as a small child; he is of Scottish descent.This is our version…

    My pigeon’s house
    I open wide and set my pigeon’s free
    they fly away on every wing and alight on the tallest tree
    and when they return from their airy flight
    I close the doors and say goodnight.

    Coo ah rooo (x7)

    The actions also differ, from what has been shown in the above video.

  34. Ruth Says:

    Hi I wanted to add my bit to this discussion:

    This song is really from Fröbel (as stated above) he used it as a fingerplay and as a dance in a circle. Some children are the doves and the others open and close the pidgeon house. I learned about it in my studies (social pedagoge).

    Föbel was well acknowledged around the world and his ideas of earliy education spread fast and far. He wrote a book how the mothers could begin to stimulate their children from earliy on by singing to them and doing fingerplays.

  35. Alyssa Says:

    Oh my. i’m sitting here singing this song to my cranky grandaughter and decided to google it. my sister, 7 yrs my elder sang this to me as a child and i to my children and now grands. i too, was curious about the origin. unsure of the words, i’ve tried to find it to no avail. before the wonderful worldwide web. ty so much. ive shed a tear at the touching memories.

  36. Jessica Says:

    Hi

    My Cuban grandmother used to sing this song to my when I was little in spanish. It is very important to me find the lyrics in Spanish preferably cuban spainsh…(but i’ll take any of it)….My grandmother is not doing well and will not be here much longer. And i know the tune but i cant remember the lyrics and it’s killing me……Anyways if anyone has them or even a recording of it in spainsh I would so much appericate that you share it with me.

    Thank you. (Gentelflwr@yahoo.com)

  37. Humberto Says:

    Jessica, espero que luego de tanto tiempo igual te sirva:

    Cuando abro la puerta de mi palomar,
    mis pichones volando se van.
    Ellos vuelan por montes muy lejos de aqui,
    y en sus copas se posan asi.
    Luego, mas tarde, vuelven a venir,
    les abro la puerta y se van a dormir
    Ru cucu
    ru cucu
    ru cucu

  38. Lois Says:

    What lovely stories!
    My mother sang it to us when we where going to bed and I sang it to my girls and now they (and I) sing it to their children. My mother had British parents so I had supposed it was from Britain.
    Our version is:
    My pigeon door I open wide
    And I set all my pigeons free
    They flap their wings and they say good-bye
    And they fly to the tallest tree
    And when they return from their merry flight
    I close the door and I say good-night.
    Coo, coo, etc..

  39. Angela Wygal Says:

    My grandmother sang it like this to us:
    My pigeon house I open wide and I set all the pigeons free.
    They fly o’er the hills and many a house
    and they light in the tallest tree.
    And when they return from their noon day flight,
    They fold their wings and they say, “Goodnight”.
    coo ah roo, coo ah roo, coo ah roo, coo ah roo,
    Coo ah roo, coo ah roo, coo roo.

  40. Melissa Schenk Says:

    I find this very interesting. My mother’s side of the family originates from England and they have always sang a very similar song that we call “My Pigeon’s Eyes”.

    My pigeon’s eyes are open wide
    And yet my pigeons sleep
    They fly so high ’til they reach the sky
    And light on the tallest tree
    And when they return to their merry merry nest
    I shut the door and I say goodnight
    Coo loo coo loo coo loo coo loo
    Coo loo coo loo coo loo
    Coo loo coo loo coo loo coo loo
    Coo loo coo loo coo loo

  41. Bard Judith Says:

    Yet another version: my mother and I even disagree on the words – and she taught it me (down from her grandmother, of British descent), so you can see how easily in one generation a song will mutate and vary. Here’s how I recall it:

    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 door and I say goodnight…
    Coo coo, coo coo… (etc.)

  42. Mike Christensen Says:

    I come from a massive extended and very musical family and this song has been sung for generations. It is literally part of our family culture and something we laugh about as in-laws have married into the family. While I wont try to claim where or when it started for us we have significant Danish/Scandanavian roots as well as Italian. The rest of Europe is splashed in their too. Here’s our version:

    My-y pigeon house, I-I open wide,
    To set all the pigeons free.
    They fly o’er the hills on every-y side,
    And light in the tallest trees.
    And when they return from their merry, merry flight,
    I close the door and say goodnight.
    Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo,
    Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo, Coo-a’roo!

  43. Suellyn Says:

    My mother, born on the Lower East Side of NYC to Jewish Eastern European immigrants, sang ‘My Pigeon House’ to me as she fed me by the kitchen window where I could see pigeon coops on rooftops, and pigeons flying around directed by the long staffs of their owners. I sang this version to my children, and now to my grandchildren:

    My pigeon house is open wide, and I set my pigeons free.
    They fly all around and around and around, ’til they reach the highest tree.
    And when they return to their weary little nest,
    They close their eyes and go to rest.
    Coo-coo, coo-coo, coo-coo.
    I love you, I love you, I love you. (My addition :)

  44. Cheryl Says:

    How interesting all these versions are. This song has been passed down through many generations of my New England family that is of English/Scottish descent. Unfortunately, it looks like this song will die out of our family soon. Here is our version.

    My pigeon house we will open wide
    and set all the pigeons free,
    they will fly and fly over the fields of love
    and light in a tall ash tree.
    And when they return from their merry flight
    we’ll shut the doors and say goodnight.
    coo-oo, coo-oo, etc.

  45. Lisa Says:

    That’s pretty Cheryl!

  46. Becke Davis Says:

    My mother died recently. I’ve been trying to remember the lullabies she sang to us and today I suddenly recalled one she called “Pigeon House.” The words, as far as I can remember, were: “See here’s a little pigeon house, its rooms are dark and small, but many though the pigeons be, there’s room enough for all.” I think there was more, but that’s all I remember. I can’t find anything about it on Google. Does anyone here remember this version?

  47. Becke Davis Says:

    The poem I found says “Because they don’t dispute and fret for every little thing, but live in love and gentleness at home and on the wing.” I remember my mom singing this as, “Because they never fuss and fret at every little thing, but live in love and happiness at home and on the wing.”

  48. Jennifer Says:

    So happy to have found this! My grandmother of Russian-ish descent used to sing this and I have sang it to my 10 year old every night since birth! But my grandmother’s lyrics were way off!

    In my pigeon’s house I open the door and let all the pigeon’s fly

    They fly all of over the countryside and they come back home again

    They open the door to their little house

    Close the door and say goodnight

    coo-ooo-oo coo-ooo-oo coo-ooo-oo coo-ooo-oo

    coo-ooo-oo coo-ooo-oo

    Good night!

  49. Lisa Says:

    Hi Jennifer,

    What a lovely tradition you have! It seems there are many versions of this song. So sing it the way that pleases you! :)

    Best wishes,

    Mama Lisa

  50. Raquel Says:

    I learned the song Humberto above copies, in Spanish, in Kindergarten some 78 years ago since I am now almost 82.

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