So that you might have the chance to review and practice here is a little songbook for St. Stephen's day December 26. Have any more? Send em right in! Enjoy! If you want to know more about St. Stephen and Wren traditions go to: Clickit here to go to the St.Stephen and the Wren PagesConrad
St. Stephen was a Serving-Man
To Play Midi Sound Click here
click for tune gif
St. Stephen was a serving-man
In Herod's royal hall.
He serv-ed him with meat and wine
That doth to kings befall.He was serving him with meat, one day,
With a boar's head in his hand,
When he saw a star come from the East
And over Bethlehem stand.St. Stephen was a righteous man
And in his faith was bold,
He was waiting for the birth of Christ
As by the prophets told.He cast the Boar's head on the floor
And let the server fall,;
He said, "Behold a child is born
That is better than us all."Then quickly he went to Herod's room
And unto him did say,
"I am leaving thee, King Herod,
And will proclaim thy wicked ways."
ABC Notation
T:St. Stephen Was a Serving Man
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:C
AA3|A2^F4A2|B4^c2d2|-d2B2A4|A2A4A2|A8|-A2A2A4|
A2^F4A2|B4B2G2|-G2B2A4|A2A4A2|^F4:|% ABC2Win Version 2.1 12/18/2000
HUNTING THE WREN
We'll hunt the wren, says Robin to Bobin
We'll hunt the wren, says Richie the Robin
We'll hunt the wren, says Jack of the land
We'll hunt the wren says everyoneThe wren, the wren is king of the birds
St. Stephen's Day he's caught in the furze
Although he is little, his family is great
We pray you, good people to give us a trateWhere, oh where? ....
In yonder green bush
How get him down?
With sticks and stones
How get him home?
The brewer's big cart
How'll we ate him?
With knives and forks
Who'll come to the dinner?
The king and the queen
Eyes to the blind, says Robin to Bobbin
Legs to the lame, says Richie the robin
(Pluck) to the poor, says Jack of the land
Bones to the dogs, says everyone
THE WREN SONG
Click here for midi soundThe wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze,
Although he was little his honour was great
Jump up, me lads, and give hima treat.cho: Up with the kettle and down with the pan
And give us a penny to bury the wren.As I was gone to Killenaule
I met a wren upon a wall,
Up with me wattle and knocked him down
And brought him into Carrick town.Droolin, droolin, where's your nest?
'Tis in the bush that I love best
In the tree, the holly tree
Where all the boys do follow me.We followed the wren three miles or more
Three miles or more, three miles or more,
Followed the wren three miles or more
At six o'clock in the morning.We have a little box under me hand (arm),
Under me hand, under me hand,
We have a little box under me hand,
A penny a tuppence will do it no harm.Missus Clancy's a very good woman
A very good woman, a very good woman
Missus Clancy's a very good woman
She gave us a penny to bury the wren.From The Irish Songbook, Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
ABC Notation
X:1
T:The Wren Song
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:D
A,| D2 D D2 F| AAA E2 E| F2 F D2 D| EEE A,2 A,| DDD DDF| AAA E2 E|
F2 F G2 E| DDD D2 z| DDD DDF| AAA E2 E| FFF GFE| DDD D2||
THE WREN SONG 2
click here for midi sound
for notation see above....The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
St. Stephen's Day was caught in the firs
Although he was little, his honor was great
Jump up me lads and give us a treatWe followed the wren three miles or more
Three miles of more, three miles or more
Through hedges and ditches and heaps of snow
At six o'clock in the morningRolley, Rolley, where is your nest?
It's in the bush that I love best
It's in the bush, the holly tree
Where all the boys do follow meAs I went out to hunt and all
I met a wren upon the wall
Up with me wattle and gave him a fall
And brought him here to show you allI have a little box under me arm
A tuppence or penny will do it no harm
For we are the boys who came your way
To bring in the wren on St. Stephen's DayTo Return to the top of this section click here
Wren Song 3
click here for midi sound
for notation see above....
The wran, the wran
The King of all birds
On St. Stephen's Day,
was caught in the furze
And though he is little
His family is great
So rise up landlady,
And give us a treat
Up with the kettle
And on with the pan;
Mr. So-and So is a gentleman
We hoosed her up,
We hoosed her down,
We hoosed her into
So-and So town
We dipped her wing
In a barrel of beer
Then rise up landlady
And give us good cheer,
Up with the kettle,
On with the pan
Give us an answer
And let us be gone.
Give us something new,
Give us something old.
Be it only silver
Or copper or gold
It's money we want
It's money we crave;
If you don't give us money
We'll bring you to the grave.
So up with the kettle
And on with the pan
For Mr. So-and So is a gentleman
Wren Song 4
click here for midi sound
for notation see above....The wren,the wren, the king of all birds,
On St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze;
Though is body is small, his family is great,
So,if you please, youir honour,give us a treat.
On Christmas Day I turned a spit;
I burned my finger; I feel it yet,
Up with the kettle, and down with the pan:
Give us some money to bury the wren.
Wren Song 5
click here for midi sound
for notation see above....The wran, the wran,the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's day was cot in the furze
Although he is little his family's grate,
Put yer hand in yer pocket and give us a trate.
Sing holly,sing ivy-sing ivy,sing holly,
A drop ust to drink it would drown melancholy
And if you dhraw it ov the best,
I hope in heven yer sowl will rest,
But if you dhraw it ov the small
It won't agree wid de wran boys at all <
PLEASE TO SEE THE KING
Click here for midi sound
click for tune GIFJoy, health, love, and peace be all here in this place
By your leave, we will sing concerning our KingOur King is well dressed, in silks of the best
In ribbons so rare, no king can compareWe have traveled many miles, over hedges and stiles
In search of our King, unto you we bringOld Christmas is past, Twelfth Night is the last
And we bid you adieu, great joy to the new
___________
The king was the wren. The wren was the king of the birds. In
ancient religions the king was sacrificed every seven years for
the fertility and good of the tribe. In some places (Ireland)
the queen was royal and married new consorts to be sacrificed.
The consort was treated well for seven years (or one year) and
then sacrificed by the new consort. A wren was killed and
dressed up in ribbons, etc. and carried around the village. This
is from Pembrokeshire in South Wales, commemorating the wren-
killing on St. Steven's Day, Dec 26. Old Christmas, still
celebrated rather than December 25, is Twelfth Night.
Recorded by Steeleye Span on Please to See the King; by Carthy and
Swarbrick on Prince Heathen
To Return to the top of this section click here
HUNTING OF THE WRENWill ze go to the wood? quo' Fozie Mozie;
Will ze go to the wood? quo' Johnie Rednozie;
Will ze go to the wood? quo' Foslin 'ene;
Will ye go to the wood? quo' brither and kin.[similarly:]
What to do there?
To slay the Wren.
What way will ze get her hame?
We'll hyre carts and horse.
What way will we get her in?
We'll drive down the door-cheeks.
I'll hae a wing, quo' Fozie Mozie:
I'll hae another, quo' Johnie Rednozie:
I'll hae a leg, quo' Foslin 'ene:
And I'll hae anither, quo' brither and kin.
________________________________________________________Herd 1776, II.210; whence Chambers PRS (1870), 37, and
Montgomerie SNR (1946), 22 (no. 10). Cf. ODNR 367 (no. 447),
ref. to Peter Buchan's MS. in British Museum (Adds.
29408): "Where are ye gain? quoth Hose to Mose/ Johnny
Rednose/ bretheren three/ To shoot the wren, quo' Wise
Willie" (3 st.).
Gosset, Lullabies of Four Nations (1915), 119; [titled
"The Brethren Three"; begins "`We'll aff tae the wids,'
says Tosie Mosie." -other names are Johnie Red Hosie,
Wise Willie, and line 4 ends "say the brethren three".]
Contributed to Old-Lore Miscellany of the Viking Society
(Orkney), 1908, by John Frith; he heard it used as a
lullaby. The tune was the first strain of The Campbells
are Coming. Date, "sixty years ago", i.e. c. 1848.
On the Wren Hunt see, e.g. E.A. Armstrong, The Folklore of
Birds (1958), 148 ff.; Alisoun Gardner-Medwin, "The Wren Hunt
Song", Folk-Lore 81 (1970), 215-8. -Source=The Digital Tradition
To Return to the top of this section click here
HUNT THE WREN
I've found a bird's nest, says Richard to Robin.
I've found a bird's nest, says Robin to Bobbin.
I've found a bird's nest, says Titipula.
I've found a bird's nest, says everyone.Are there any eggs in it? ...
There's four eggs in it, ...
What shall we do wi' 'em? ...
We'll sell them to the Queen, ...
She'll gi' you nowt for 'em, ...
We'll fry 'em and eat 'em, ...
I do not want one, ...
"Then I'll eat them meself, boys, every one!"Recorded by the Watersons
CUTTY WREN
Oh where are you going said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
We're off to the woods said John the Red Nose
We're off to the woods said John the Red NoseAnd what will you do there said Milder to Moulder
We'll shoot the Cutty wren said John the Red NoseAnd how will you shoot us said Milder to Moulder
With bows and with arrows said John the Red NoseOh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh what will you do then said Festel to Fose
Great guns and great cannon said John the Red NoseAnd how will you fetch her said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
On four strong men's shoulders said John the Red NoseAh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh what will do then said Festel to Fose
Great carts and great wagons said John the Red NoseOh how will you cut her up said Milder to Moulder
With knives and with forks said John the Red NoseOh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Great hatchets and cleavers said John the Red NoseOh how will you boil her said Milder to Moulder
In pots and in kettles said John the Red Nose
O that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Great pans and large cauldrons said John the Red NoseOh who'll get the spare ribs said Milder to Moulder
We'll give 'em all to the poor said John the Red Nose
tune from Sharp, English Folk Songs given for Green Bushes
There is a Manx legend that during the Irish rebellion, when English
soldiers and Manx Fencibles were in Ireland, the noise made by the wren on
the end of a drum woke a sleeping sentry and thus saved them from being
taken unawares; this was the reason for hunting the wren on St. Stephen's
Day.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS
Click for midi sound
click for tune GIFGood King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen.
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.Hither page and stand by me if thou knowst it telling
Yonder peasant, who is he, where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain.Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pinelogs hither
Thou and I will see him dine when we bear them thither
Page and monarch forth they went, forth they went together
Through the rude winds wild lament, and the bitter weather.Sire the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart I know now how, I can go no longer.
Mark my footsteps my good page, tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly.In his master's steps he trod where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed
Therefore Christian men be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.ABC Notation
X:1
T:Good King Wenceslas
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:F
F F F G| F F C2| D C D E| F2 F2| F F F G| F F C2| D C D E| F2 F2|
c B A G| A G F2| D C D E| F2 F2| C C D E| F F G2| c B A G| F2- B2|
F4|
St Stephen's Day Murders
I knew of two sisters whose name it was Christmas
And one was named Dawn of course, the other one was named Eve
I wonder if they grew up hating the season
Of the good will that lasts till the Feast of St. StephenFor that is the time to eat, drink and be merry
'Til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey is flowed
And the whole family tree you neglected to bury
Are feeding their faces until they explodeChorus:
There'll be laughter and tears over Tia Marias
Mixed up with that drink made from girders
And it's all we've got left as you draw your last breath
And it's nice for the kids as you've finally got rid of them
In the St Stephen's Day MurdersUncle is garglin' a heart-breaking air
While the babe in his arms pulls out all that remains of his hair
And we're not drunk enough yet to dare criticize
The great big kipper tie he's about to baptizeHis gin-flavoured whispers and kisses of sherry
His best crimble shirt flung out over the shop
While the lights from the Christmas tree blow up the telly
His face closes in like an old cold pork chopAlternate Chorus:
And the carcass of the beast left over from the feast
May still be found haunting the kitchen
And there's life in it yet we may live to regret
When the ones that we poisoned stop twitchin'Regular Chorus Repeat
-(Paddy Moloney/Elvis Costello)
(embedded images aren't allowed here - I replaced them with clickable links. I tried to fix the MIDI links, but apparently Conrad's Web page provider doesn't allow links to other than HTML pages. Go to Conrad's page - it's a good one. -Joe Offer-)
