Two Little Dickie Birds facts for kids

"Two Little Dickie Birds" is a well-known English language nursery rhyme. It is also a fun fingerplay game that many children learn. This rhyme has a special number in the Roud Folk Song Index, which helps keep track of traditional songs. Its number is 16401.

The Words to the Song

Here are the words to a common version of the rhyme:

Two little dickie birds sitting on a wall

One named Peter, one named Paul.

Fly away Peter! Fly away Paul!

Come back Peter! Come back Paul!

Where Did This Rhyme Begin?

The rhyme "Two Little Dickie Birds" was first written down and published a long time ago. It appeared in a book called Mother Goose's Melody in London around the year 1765.

Original Names of the Birds

In that very first version, the two birds had different names. They were called Jack and Gill. The original words went like this:

There were two blackbirds

Sat upon a hill,

The one was nam'd Jack,

The other nam'd Gill;

Fly away Jack,

Fly away Gill,

Come again Jack,

Come again Gill.

Later, in the 1800s, the names of the birds changed. People started using the names Peter and Paul. These names come from two important figures in Christian history, known as apostles.

Different Versions of the Rhyme

Like many old rhymes, "Two Little Dickie Birds" has a few different versions. In places like America, people often sing "Two Little Blackbirds" instead.

Other Bird Names

Sometimes, the birds are given other pairs of names. These names often show opposites. For example, some versions use:

• Jack and Jill
• Low and High
• Fast and Slow
• Early and Late

These different names make the rhyme fun to change and play with.

How to Play the Fingerplay

The "Two Little Dickie Birds" rhyme is often played with your hands. It's a simple and fun game for children. Here's how you can do the actions:

Getting Ready to Play

First, you need to make your "birds."

• Hide your hands from the child you are playing with.
• Use a pen or marker to make a small mark on the nail of your index finger on one hand. This will be "Peter."
• Do the same for the nail of your second finger on your other hand. This will be "Paul."
• Now, show both hands to the child. Keep your fingers folded down like fists, but point the two marked fingers (Peter and Paul) forward. These are your two little birds.

Actions for Each Line

• "Two little dickie birds sitting on a wall"
  • Wiggle both of your marked fingers to get attention.
• "One named Peter"
  • Wiggle only the finger you marked as Peter.
• "One named Paul"
  • Wiggle only the finger you marked as Paul.
• "Fly away Peter!"
  • Quickly pull your "Peter" hand back towards your head. As you do this, fold down the marked finger. Then, stick out a different finger (like your middle finger) on the same hand and bring your hand back to its original spot. The child will see that "Peter" (the marked finger) is gone!
• "Fly away Paul!"
  • Repeat the same action with your other hand for "Paul."
• "Come back Peter!"
  • Reverse the action for "Peter." Bring your hand back, and make the marked "Peter" finger reappear.
• "Come back Paul!"
  • Reverse the action for "Paul," making the marked "Paul" finger reappear.

This fingerplay makes the rhyme come alive and helps children learn about the words and actions together.