62 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



upon any lengthy flight, these boys, armed with 

 sticks and stones, would beat on either side of the 

 hedge until poor Jenny Wren was killed. 



In the South of Ireland, a wren is carried about 

 in great honour, to the accompaniment of the 

 following verse: 



" The Wren, the Wren, the King of all birds, 

 Was caught St. Stephen's day in the furze; 

 Although he's little, his family's great. 



Then, pray, kind gentlefolks, give him a treat." 



Another old saying with regard to the wren runs 

 thus: " It was decided in a parliament of the 

 birds that the one who flew highest should be king. 

 The wren hid itself on the eagle's back, and when 

 the eagle had flown the highest, the wren fluttered 

 a Httle higher still." 



The robin seems through all the ages to have been 

 regarded as a sacred bird, and in olden times was 

 always associated with Christmas and Easter. He 

 is the most trusting of all our garden birds, seeming 

 to know no fear, and he delights in the companion- 

 ship of all who work in gardens, following round 

 with bright eyes, intently watchful on all worms, 

 slugs, and other succulent morsels. The robin 

 is, in fact, one of the most efficient members of the 

 bird police force, who patrol our gardens and keep 

 down insect thieves and criminals. 



The Legend of the Robin. 



Tradition tells us that he owes his ruddy breast 

 to the fact that as Our Lord climbed upwards to 

 Calvary bearing His cross and wearing the crown 

 of thorns, a little bird with soft brown plumage 



