WREN LORE 



The following wren song, with verses sometimes varied 

 to suit the singer, is probably the most common: 



" 'Let us go to the wood!' said Richard to Robin. 

 'Let us go to the woodl' said Robin to Bobbin. 

 'Let us go to the woodl' said John, all alone. 

 'Let us go to the woodl' said every one. 



"What shall we do there?' said Richard to Robin, etc. 

 'We will hunt the wren,' said Richard to Robin, etc. 

 'Where is he? Where is he?' said Richard to Robin, etc. 

 'In yonder green bush,' said Richard to Robin, etc. 

 'How can we get him down?' said Richard to Robin, etc. 



'He's eaten! He's eaten!' said Richard to Robin, etc." 



There are thirty-two verses of a similar song, as given by 

 Mr. Swainson in "Folk Lore of British Birds." Other wren 

 songs are equally full of repetition. 



In some districts the wren hunt took place on St. 

 Stephen's Day, because at the time St. Stephen was being 

 brought to execution and was about to escape from his sleep- 

 ing jailors, a wren flew on the face of one of them and woke 

 him. 



Mr. Swainson tells us that a proclamation was issued 

 by Richard Dowden, Mayor of Cork in 1845, prohibiting 

 the wren hunt in the interest of "prevention of cruelty to 

 animals," but that the custom is stUl observed in some parts 

 of Connaught. 



