The origin and history of “Los pollitos dicen” and who wrote it may hold some real surprises. “Los pollitos dicen” (or “Los pollitos”) is a popular children’s song sung to young children by families across many Spanish speaking countries. It is also a staple in many elementary classrooms around the world.
Because “Los pollitos” has been passed down for generations across so many countries, it’s often claimed as a folk song native to wherever it was heard- Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and beyond. Many songbooks list it simply as “traditional,” with no composer named at all.
However, historical records tell a very different story. The lyrics were first published by Chilean educator, Francisco Ismael Segundo Parraguez Cabezas, better known as Ismael Parraguez, in 1907, and the familiar melody appears in his posthumously published Cantos Infantiles (1920).
Here is more of the true story behind the song, how its author was forgotten, and how European classical melodies may have influenced one of Latin America’s most famous tunes.
Table of Contents
The True Author: Ismael Parraguez
In 1907, a Chilean musician, poet, and primary school teacher named Ismael Parraguez published a small collection titled Poesías Infantiles (Children’s Poems). This collection contained many wonderful poems for children including “Los pollitos.” Born in 1883 in Pichidegua, Chile, Parraguez dedicated his brief career to educational reform and arts instruction, composing songs and poetry specifically designed for early childhood development.
Here are some images of Parraguez’s hometown of Pichidegua, Chile.
Tragically, Parraguez died in May 1917 at just 33 years old, cutting short a prolific career as an author, composer, and pioneer of Chilean children’s literature. Parraguez died just ten years after publishing Poesías Infantiles. His untimely death may have contributed to the gradual loss of his authorship as “Los pollitos” spread through oral tradition.
Parraguez had originally written the poem to fill a distinct pedagogical gap: In the preface to Poesías Infantiles, Parraguez argued that teachers needed simple, artistic, and engaging material tailored specifically for young children rather than adult songs adapted for the classroom. The preface in his poetry and song collection relate his uniqueness in filling this gap in elementary education in Chile. “Los pollitos” is a great example of relating to children with its fun “pío, pío, pío.”
Original Lyrics by Ismael Parraguez (1907):
Los pollitos dicen
Pío, pío, pío,
Cuando tienen hambre,
Cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca
El maíz y el trigo,
Les da la comida
Y les presta abrigo.
The song eventually spread throughout Chile and later across Latin America. It captured the imagination of young children and spread across borders, traveling from Chile to the rest of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
My journey into finding the origin of “Los pollitos” has revealed the short life of a remarkable educator. At a time when sharing information wasn’t easy, he had so many connections outside of his small town in Chile and used that knowledge plus his own dedication to create meaningful learning for young children in his own town and country. I wish he could have known the impact his efforts made and are still making all around the world.
Timeline for Ismael Parraguez
- 1883 (Birth): Born on August 26 in Pichidegua, Chile.
- 1906 (Marriage): Married schoolteacher Ester Ortiz Rotter on October 6 in Santiago. (The couple would go on to have five (surviving) children).
- 1907 (Poetry Book Published): Published his landmark collection, Poesías Infantiles (Children’s Poems), which contained the original printed text for “Los pollitos”.
- 1914: Published Orfeón Chileno (Chilean Orpheum), a major compilation of national school songs and patriotic hymns designed specifically for primary education.
- May 8, 1917 (Passing): Died prematurely of typhus at age 33 in Santiago.
- 1920 (Posthumous Songbook Published): His collection of musical scores and sheet music was officially published posthumously as Cantos Infantiles (Children’s Songs), preserving the written musical staff notation for “Los pollitos” and his other songs.
A Closer Look at “Los pollitos”
Because “Los pollitos” traveled primarily through oral tradition for over a century, the song changed from place to place.
Regional Variants for “Los pollitos”
In comparing published arrangements and recordings, I noticed that most versions open with the same melodic line, do-re-mi-fa-sol, but then the changes begin with the lyrics, “pío, pío, pío.”
Instead of the original la-la-la-do’ sol-sol seen in Cantos Infantiles (image above), you’ll find:
- la-ti-la-ti sol-sol (some Colombian versions)
- la-ti-do-la sol-sol (some Ecuadorian versions)
- do’-do’-ti-la sol-sol (variety of locations)
- la-la-la-la sol-sol (some Kodaly online solfege versions)
These are just a few of the many variations I found listening to many versions and viewing notation online and in books.
Bringing “Los pollitos” into the Classroom
Understanding the background of “Los pollitos” adds rich context to your elementary music curriculum when learning the song. It brings the culture of Chile, the intention of the composer, Ismael Parraguez, and the connection to a sweet song about baby chicks and their mother hen.
If you are looking for ready-to-use classroom materials, check out my Los pollitos dicen Hispanic Song & Orff Arrangement! (COMING SOON)
It will include:
- Full Orff arrangement with barred instruments and unpitched percussion.
- Spanish & English lyric visual aids.
- History & context slides to share with your students.
- Singing game directions.
- Melody and rhythm practice.
Links to More Spanish-Influenced Music Resources
These links provide lesson plans and ideas for teachers looking for more Spanish-language-influenced learning.
- Hispanic Heritage Month Music Activities, Songs, and Lessons
- Spotlight Musician Jose Feliciano
- Encanto Song Ideas and Activities to Teach Right Now
- Latin Music and Hispanic Heritage YouTube PLAYLIST
Music Influencing Parraguez’s Song Choices
“Los pollitos” was labeled “melodía popular” or folk music by Parraguez. Does this mean he chose a folk song from Chile, or could it also refer more broadly to a popular folk song from elsewhere, including Europe? Let’s look at some of his musical influences.
Classical & European Melodic Connections
Parraguez didn’t just write poetry; he set his verses to simple, memorable tunes meant for school children. When you look closely at the songs collected and arranged in Cantos infantiles, you can see just how deeply Parraguez was drawing from European art music alongside Chilean popular traditions. Several selections in his songbook credit well-known European composers such as Vincenzo Bellini, Carl Maria von Weber, Jacques Offenbach, Nägeli, Silcher, Anthes, Wölfl, Methfessel, and others.
This indicates that Parraguez was setting his new Spanish lyrics to popular tunes from the German, Italian, Austrian, and broader European classical and pedagogical repertoire for use in Chilean primary schools.
Even at a time when travel and sharing information was much harder than today, the origin and history of “Los pollitos” includes clues to a possible European influence.
Why “Los pollitos” might have European folk song influences
- Researchers analyzing the melody of “Los pollitos” have noticed some strong melodic parallels to “La Mantovana,” a famous 16th-century song attributed to Giuseppe Cenci. Although in a minor key, the melodic shape is very similar.
- Another connection may be the popular German folk song, Alle Meine Entchen. It is about ducklings and begins with the same melody as “Los pollitos,” do-re-mi-fa-sol. Parraguez had some notable connections to Germany.
- The prominent German-born Chilean linguist and folklorist Rodolfo Lenz, in 1907, wrote a letter directly to Parraguez praising his collection Poesías infantiles, commending him for drawing inspiration from real Chilean life rather than simply copying foreign/European models.
- Another possible connection to German music may have been Parraguez’s wife, Ester Ortiz Rotter, who was of German descent. Ester was the daughter of the surgeon Ramón Ortiz Cerda and María Rotter, who came from one of the first German settler families in Puerto Montt.
- At the turn of the 20th century, the Chilean government actively recruited European specialists under state contracts to modernize its public school system. Among these hired were Woldemar Franke, a German music professor contracted to teach at Santiago’s Escuela Normal de Preceptores, and Leopoldina Maluschka, an Austrian educator brought in by educational reformer José Abelardo Núñez to establish Chile’s first kindergarten teacher program. As faculty and leaders within the very normal schools where Parraguez trained and taught, Franke and Maluschka likely gave Parraguez easier access to European music.
What folk song, melodía popular, did Parraguez use as inspiration when he wrote “Los pollitos”? We still can only guess.
References & Further Reading
Primary Historical Documents & Archival Texts
- Parraguez, I. (1907). Poesías infantiles: Colección de cantos y poesías para escuelas primarias. Imprenta i Encuadernación Universitaria. Biblioteca Nacional Digital de Chile
- Parraguez, I. (1920). Cantos infantiles: coleccionados i arreglados. Soc. Imprenta i Litografía “Universo.” Universidad de Chile, Portal de Libros Electrónicos
- Radio Cristalina. (2026, January 23). Los pollitos dicen: Original Chilean history & lyrics archive. Radio Cristalina
Books & Academic Monographs
- Almárcegui, F. (2020). Reseña: ¿Quién es el autor de Los pollitos dicen?, de Reinaldo Marchant. Proyecto Patrimonio
- Gibson, R. (2021). ¡Canta Conmigo! Songs and Singing Games from Guatemala and Nicaragua. Oxford University Press.
Audio & Historical Recordings
Hermanas Márquez. (1940). Los pollitos dicen [Audio recording]. Internet Archive. Archive.org MP3 Audio
Articles & Biographical Resources
- Encantos World. (2022, October 20). Los pollitos dicen: The history of the classic lullaby. Encantos World
- Mamá Lisa’s World. (n.d.). Los pollitos — Chilean Children’s Songs. Mamá Lisa’s World
- Saldías González, A. (2025, August 26). Ismael Parraguez. Fundación Cultural Región de Colchagua. Fundación Cultural Región de Colchagua
- Universidad de Chile. (2022). El legado pedagógico y musical de Leopoldina Maluschka en la educación parvularia chilena. Noticias Universidad de Chile. U. de Chile News Article
- WikicharliE. (n.d.). Ismael Parraguez. Enciclopedia de Chile. WikicharliE
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Ismael Parraguez. Wikipedia. Wikipedia
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). La Mantovana. Wikipedia. Wikipedia
Sheet Music & Educational Resources
Cando Music. (n.d.). Los pollitos dicen song sheet and melody guide [PDF]. Cando Music Resource
