Known to be a Girl Scout song dating back to at least the 1940’s and passed down in by oral tradition, the lyrics to Baby Owlet have incurred a number of slight variations from region to region over time.
The song can also be found in more than one form; notably, “El Tecolotito,” (The Little Owl), a lullaby-waltz version sung in Spanish. (“El Tecolotito” is sung in so many diverse versions in Northern New Mexico that it almost constitutes a genre of its own.)
Baby Owlet
Baby owlet, purple owlet,
Singing as dawn shines above
Baby owlet, purple owlet,
Singing as dawn shines above
Won’t you lend me your swift pinions,
Won’t you lend me your swift pinions
Won’t you lend me your swift pinions
That I may fly to my love, That I may fly to my love
Tetra kwa kwa kwa, Tetra kwa kwa kwa, Tetra kwa kwa kwa
Baby owlet, poor little owlet, He’s tired from crying so
If I were a baby owlet, I would never fly away
If I were a baby owlet, I would never fly away
‘Til my wings were strong and steady,
‘Til my wings were strong and steady
‘Til my wings were strong and steady
Safe within my nest I’d stay, Safe within my nest I’d stay
Tetra kwa kwa kwa, Tetra kwa kwa kwa, Tetra kwa kwa kwa
Baby owlet, poor little owlet, He’s tired from crying so
