March he sits upon his perch;
April he soundeth his bell;
May he sings both night and day;
June he altereth his tune;
And July--away to fly.
When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn,
Sell your cow and buy your corn;
But when she comes to the full bit,
Sell your corn and buy you sheep.
In April the coo-coo can sing her song by rote;
In June of time she cannot sing a note;
At first koo-koo! koo-koo! sings still--
At last koo-ke! koo-ke! koo-ke!--six koo-kees to one koo.