The Dove and the Wren Lyrics
The dove worries about feeding her two babies. The tiny wren laughs: she has ten and manages them all perfectly well.
The Dove and the Wren
The dove says coo, coo, what shall I do?
I can scarce maintain two.
Pooh, pooh! says the wren, I've got ten,
And keep them all like gentlemen.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-dove-and-the-wren/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
What Does The Dove and the Wren Mean?
The dove complains that she can scarce maintain two, meaning she can hardly look after them. The wren answers "Pooh, pooh!", a dismissive laugh, because she raises ten and keeps them "like gentlemen", well fed and cared for. It is a light-hearted joke about grumbling.
History and Origin
The rhyme is printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916), and it is based on real bird behavior. Doves and pigeons usually lay just two eggs at a time, while wrens lay large clutches, often five or more, and raise big broods.
Learning Activities
- Bird voices: say the dove's line softly, coo, coo, and the wren's line briskly.
- Egg count: look at pictures of birds' nests and count the eggs.
- Big and small families: talk about how every family is different.