The Birds - Alfred Deller, The Deller Consort

From out of a wood did a cuckoo fly

Cuckoo

He came to a manger with joyful cry

Cuckoo

He hopped, he curtsied, 'round he flew

And loud his jubilation grew

Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo

A pigeon flew over to Galilee

Vrer-croo

He strutted and cooed and was full of glee

Vrer-croo

And showed with jewelled wings unfurled

His joy that Christ was in the world

Vrer-croo, vrer-croo, vrer-croo

A dove settled down upon Nazareth

Tsu-croo

And tenderly chanted with all his breath

Tsu-croo

«O you,» he cooed

«So good and true

My beauty do I give to you!»

Tsu-croo, tsu-croo-, tsu-croo