40 WREN 
France, Ireland, and Wales, compare Yarrell, 4th ed., i. 465, 
Rolland, Fawne Populaire, ii. 295. Its origin is quite 
unknown; the words sung here are doubtless comparatively 
modern. 
The following folk-lore tale about the Wren is given by 
Mr. C. Roeder in Isle of Man Examiner, 5th April 1902 -— 
YN DREAN (THE WREN). 
‘(81) Keayrt dy row va ny ushagyn chaglym dy hoil- 
jaghey da y chooilley cre obbraghyn va’d son yannoo. 
Va’d loayrt unnane eck cheayrt, ginsh guoid dy eean va'd 
troggal, as cre cha mie va’d laboragh. Tra haink yn drean 
beg dy nish cre foddagh ee jannoo, dooyrt ee :— 
“Myr s’beg mee hene, myr keyl my chass, 
Un eean jeig ver ym lesh ass.” 
‘The birds all met together once upon a time to tell of 
all the great things they could do. They were speaking 
one at a time, saying how many young they were rearing, 
and how good they were labouring. When the little wren 
came to tell what he could do, he said :— 
‘Though I am light and my leg is small, 
Eleven chicks I bring out for all.” 
That ’s what the old people were saying.’ 
The well-known folk-tale about the Wren obtaining the 
kingdom of the birds by mounting above the Eagle in flight 
was, Miss Morrison writes me, told her by an old woman 
who had it from her mother in Manx. 
The Wren is common all over the British Isles, extend- 
ing over to the most remote, as Foula and St. Kilda. The 
form occurring in the latter is by some considered speci- 
fically distinct. 
