I have a wonderful cd called Celtic Christmas, produced for a chain of UK shops, (PT7243, but originally, I think, on SayDisc CD-SDL 417)which has seasonal music from several Celtic societies (and one or two fairly well-known musicians). About wren hunting, it says that this custom used to take place in Brittany, England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Ireland (where it still survives). It goes on to describe the ceremony and mentions the legend of St. Stephen. It also says that from the texts of the songs there is general agreement that the wren is the king of the birds and of greater importance and power than might appear. I too have heard of the bird being regarded as the symbol of Winter.

I have a marvellous book, published in 1898, which lists popular customs around the world. There are 2 pages devoted to the wren customs. The Manx legend, according to this book is different, and refers to the fate of a sea siren who, when the islanders rose up against her in anger at the deaths of so many young men, turned into a wren to escape.

"But from a higher power a decree went forth that every year on St. Stephen's day she must appear as a wren, until it pass that she perish by man's hand. For this reason the people of the Isle of Man devoted the hours between sunrise and sunset to the effort of extirpating the fairy. All wrens that showed themselves on this fatal day were pursued, pelted, fired at, and destroyed without mercy. Their feathers were preserved by fishermen as a preventative from death by shipwreck."

It continues to describe the fate of the wren and the song sung. Then it describes the Irish custom and one from Wales:

"In Ireland groups of young villagers used to bear about a holly bush adorned with ribbons and having many wrens depending from it. 'This is carried from house to house with some ceremony, the "wren-boys" chanting several verses, the burthen of which may be collected from the following lines of their song:

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze.
Although he is little, his family's great,
I pray you, good landlady, give us a treat.

My box would speak if it had but a tongue,
And two or three shillings would do it no wrong;
Sing holly, sing ivy - sing ivy, sing holly,
A drop just to drink, it would drown melancholy.

And if you draw it of the best,
I hope in heaven your soul may rest;
But if you draw it of the small,
It won't agree with the wren boys at all; etc

A small piece of money is usually bestowed on them, and the evening concludes with merrymaking with the money thus collected" (Croker: Researches in the South of Ireland, 1824, p.233)

Ditchfield in 'Old English Customs', p.32, informs us that a wren-box was sold at Christie's a few years ago which used to be carried in procession in some parts of Wales on St. Stephen's Day. It is about seven inches square, and has a glass window at one end. Into this box a wren was placed, and it was hoisted on two long poles and carried round the town by four strong men, who affected to find the burden heavy. Stopping at intervals they sang:

'Oh where are you going?' says milder to melder;
'Oh where are you going?' says the younger to the elder.
'Oh I cannot tell,' says Festel to Fose;
'We're going to the woods', says John the Red Nose.
'We're going,'etc.

'Oh what will you do there?' says milder to melder;
'Oh what will you do there?' says the younger to the elder.
'Oh I do not know,' says Festel to Fose;
'To shoot the cutty wren' says John the Red Nose.
'To shoot' etc.

And so on for eight more verses, taking the form of question and answer, as in the ballad of "Cock Robin", and describing the method of shooting the wren, cutting it up, and finally boiling it." (W.S. Walsh: Curiosities of Popular Customs, published 1898)

There are many variations on the wren hunting custom. I find it quite interesting that, in the rather long (sorry) piece I have just copied out, the author is already writing in the past tense a century ago! I remember with delight, about 4 years ago, travelling to Ireland on 1st January, and reading a half-page article in that day's copy of the Irish Independent describing participation in one of the wren hunts.

The cd I mentioned is a cracking good one. It has wren songs and tunes from Pembrokeshire, Denbighshire/Flintshire, Isle of Man and Ireland. It is interesting that the Manx song also mentions boiling the Wren. (The old book describes the ceremony of burying the bird in the Isle of Man too). The Pembrokeshire wren song is well-known: the one that starts, "Joy, health, love and peace be all here in this place. By your leave we will sing, concerning our king."

I am no expert on this custom. I just happened to have some information to hand. I hope it may be of some use, and I apologise for its length, but it's relatively early here, and I have the headache, so I'm not geared up for paraphrasing just yet!

mouldy