I've got a CD by a band called 'Parson's Hat' called 'Cutty Wren'.

In the sleeve notes, it says: "This verson comes from rural England. A darkly humoured song. 'Cutty' means small, as in 'Cutty Sark', a small shirt. There are many versions of this song, and as many titles. The yearly ceremonial sacrifice of the bird is a left-over from the days of animal worship. On the Isle of Man, sacrifice of the bird ensured crop fertility - bence the song's notion of feeding a whole village. Scots Highlanders believed the wren carried a drop of God's blook. Wren boys come out in Ireland on St Stephen's Day, Decemeber 26th, singing and exacting booze or coin from pub to pub. Robert Graves held that the wren was the 'soul of the Oak, a bird cherished by the Druids."

The song itself is: "Trad. Arr. Johnston/Ni Chathain/Wilkins/Sutton" It's the "Milder to Mogger" song that some of you will know. I believe Martin Carthy has sung it - but I could be wrong. I'll submit the words, if anyone wants them.