Kookaburra
(source: "The Worm Song and Other Tasty Tunes", Janet Wilson, 1993; also found in "Girl Guide Songbook, Vol. 1", Girl Guides Association, 1984 and in "Canciones de Nuestra Cabana", World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, 1980.) (Australian folk song)

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,

Merry merry king of the bush is he,

Laugh, kookaburra, laugh, kookaburra,

Gay your life must be, ha, ha, ha!

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,

Eating all the gumdrops he can see,

Stop, kookaburra, stop, kookaburra,

Save some there for me, ha, ha, ha!

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,

Counting all the monkeys he can see,

Stop, kookaburra, stop, kookaburra,

That's not a monkey, that's me, ha, ha, ha!

The rest of these verses aren't part of the original song, but are fun to sing all the same.

Thanks to Margaret in South Africa for this extra verse!

Kookaburra sits on an electric wire,

Jumping up and down 'cos his bums on fire,

Fry, kookaburra, fry, kookaburra,

Tasty you will be, ha, ha, ha!

And here's another, similar verse from Heidi Wilding, which her groups sing in Brecon, Wales.

Kookaburra sits on an electric wire,

With tears in his eyes and his tail on fire,

Ouch, kookaburra, ouch, kookaburra,

Sore your tail must be, ha, ha, ha!

Thanks to Diana J. for the following verses:

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,

With a bellyache as you can see,

Ha, kookaburra, ha, kookaburra,

Didn't save any for me, ha, ha, ha!

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,

Pulling all the splinters out of his tail,

Ouch, kookaburra, ouch, kookaburra,

Sore your tail must be, ha, ha, ha!

Kookaburra sits on the railroad tracks,

Better get off or he'll be flat,

Run kookaburra, run, kookaburra,

Uh-Oh!, watch out!, SPLAT!

Thanks to Margaret Bradford from Australia who sent in this verse - she wrote it herself!

Kookaburra sits on the old corn-grinder.

Beady eyes are watching till he finds a -

Snake!  Kookaburra, snake!  Kookaburra,

Grab it for your tea, ha, ha, ha!