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CUTTY WREN (2)
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.
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 Nose
And what will you do there said Milder to Moulder
We'll shoot the Cutty wren said John the Red Nose
And how will you shoot us said Milder to Moulder
With bows and with arrows said John the Red Nose
Oh 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 Nose
And 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 Nose
Ah 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 Nose
Oh how will you cut her up said Milder to Moulder
With knives and with forks said John the Red Nose
Oh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Great hatchets and cleavers said John the Red Nose
Oh 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 Nose
Oh who'll get the spare ribs said Milder to Moulder
We'll give 'em all to the poor said John the Red Nose
@ritual @animal @bird @wren
tune from Sharp, English Folk Songs given for Green Bushes
filename[ CUTYWREN
Tune file : GREEBUSH
CLICK TO PLAY
BR
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the volunteer nature of The Digital Tradition, it is difficult to ensure proper attribution and copyright information for every song included. Please assume that any song which lists a composer is copyrighted ©. You MUST aquire proper license before using these songs for ANY commercial purpose. If you have any additional information or corrections to the credit or copyright information included, please e-mail those additions or corrections to us (along with the song title as indexed) so that we can update the database as soon as possible. Thank You.Cutty Wren, The
DESCRIPTION: Milder asks Malder questions ("Oh where are you going? says Milder to Malder"). Festle replies to Fose with a refusal to answer. John the Red Nose answers the questions. Most of the answers are extravagant ways of hunting the wren
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1827 (Lyle-Crawfurd1)
KEYWORDS: wren hunting questions talltale
FOUND IN: Wales Britain(England,Scotland(Bord))
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Kennedy (78), "Helg yn Dreean/Hunt the Wren" (1 text, located in the notes)
Lyle-Crawfurd1 23, "Wise Willie" (1 text)
Greenway-AFP, pp. 110-111, "The Cutty Wren" (1 text)
Darling-NAS, pp. 91-92, "The Cutty Wren" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 347, "The Cutty Wren" (1 text)
Jack, p. 26, "The Cutty Wren" (1 short text)
DT, CUTYWREN*
ADDITIONAL: Bob Stewart, _Where Is Saint George? Pagan Imagery in English Folksong_, revised edition, Blandford, 1988, pp. 15-16, "The Cutty Wren" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #236
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Wren (The King)" (subject)
cf. "Billy Barlow" (form)
cf. "Cricketty Wee" (form)
cf. "Hunt the Wren" (form, subject)
cf. "The Green Bushes" [Laws P2] (tune)
NOTES [132 words]: Although widely popular in revival circles, "The Cutty Wren" has not been all that popular in tradition, being confined to places such as Wales, the Isle of Man, and northern England. The style (of distinct speakers carrying a conversation in order) is more common; see the cross-references.
Many have identified "Billy Barlow," "Cricketty Wee," or (especially) "Hunt the Wren" with "The Cutty Wren," but while the form is similar, and in the latter case even the subject is the same, the plot is distinct enough that the Index splits them.
For a little information, and a lot of speculation, on the history of wrenning, see the notes to "The Wren (The King)." - RBW
Opie-Oxford2 447, "We will go to the wood, says Robin to Bobbin" [also] gives background references about hunting the wren. - BS
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St. Stephen's Day Songbook
Need Info about "wrenning"