Twinkle twinkle little star

This is a popular nursery rhyme in England. Every mother still sings it to their children. I thought it was part of uncomparable British musical tradition as everyone in the UK will tell you that their mum learnt it from her grandma who learnt it from her grandma and so on, up to Adam and Eve. But Wikipedia teaches a slightly different story.

So, the tune (which, after all, is what makes a song that song...) seems to have been born in France in the first half of the 18th century and indeed there it was first published in 1761 by a guy named M. Bouin (without lyrics). 

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

That France was the motherland of the song is suggested by the fact that Great Mozart (who fell in love with this melody) composed, on its basis, some variations for piano entitling them "Twelve Variations on Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman". This implying Mozart's source was the french song. Nevertheless, nowadays as a nursery rhyme Twinkle twinkle is widespread in Britain whilst the french version (in France) is far less popular. As for the lyrics you can find it sung with one more stanza or one less.

Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman,

Ce qui cause mon tourment.
Papa veut que je raisonne,
Comme une grande personne.
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.

Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman,
Ce qui cause mon tourment.
Papa veut que je demande
De la soupe et de la viande...
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que les mignons.

Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman,
Ce qui cause mon tourment
Papa veut que je retienne
Des verbes la longue antienne...
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
valent mieux que les leçons.

Quand trois poules vont aux champs,
La première va devant.
La deuxième suit la première,
La troisième vient la dernière.
Quand trois poules vont aux champs,
La première va devant.

This post is for my slovakian friend Jana, european Lady fond of music, art, science, history and psychology.