Subject: RE: DTStudy: Cutty Wren
From:
IanC
Date: 21 Aug 02 - 04:27 AM
Here's a description of Hunting the Wren in the Isle of Man from Waldron's A Description of the Isle of Man (1731) Edited by W. Harrison (1865).
Christmas(74) is ushered in with a-form much less meaning, and infinitely more fatiguing. On the 24th of December, towards evening, all the servants in general have a holiday, they go not to bed all night, but ramble about till the bells ring in all the churches, which is at twelve a-clock; prayers being over, they go to hunt the wren, and after having found one of these poor birds, they kill her, and lay her on a bier with the utmost solemnity, bringing her to the parish church, and burying her with a whimsical kind of solemnity, singing dirges over her in the Manks language, which they call her knell; after which Christmas begins.
The editor provided the following notes (I have corrected the scanned text).
The custom of hunting the wren has been a pastime in the Isle of Man from time immemorial, and is still continued at the present day, chiefly by boys who, on St. Stephen's day, carry that " king of all birds" as the Druids called it, from house to house, suspended in a garland of ribbons and flowers and evergreens, soliciting contributions, and giving a feather for luck, singing the well-known ditty of " Hunt the Wren." Several versions of this song are to be met with; the following is from that printed in Train's History of the Isle of Man, vol. ii. p. 141, 1845.
THE HUNTING OF THE WREN.
We'll away to the woods, says Robin the Bobbin;
We'll away to the woods, says Richard the Robbin;
We'll away to the woods, says Jackey the Land;
We'll away to the woods, says every one.
What will we do there? says Robin the Bobbin, &c*.
We'll hunt the wren, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
Where is he? where is he? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
In yonder green bush, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
* Each line is repeated four times in the same manner as the first and last are.
How can we get him down? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
With sticks and stones, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
He's down, he's down, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
How can we get him home? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
We'll hire a cart, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
Whose cart shall we hire, says Robins the Bobbin, &c.
Johnny Bill Fell's. says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
How can we get him in? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
With iron bats, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
He's at home, be's at home, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
How will we get him boiled? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
In the brewery pan, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
How will we get him eaten? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
With knives and forks, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
Who's to dine at the feast? says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
The king and the queen, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
The pluck for the poor, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
The legs for the lame, says Robin the Bobbin, &c
The bones for the dogs, says Robin the Bobbin, &c.
He's eaten, he's eaten, says Robin the Bobbin,
He's eaten, be's eaten, says Richard the Robbin;
He's eaten. he's eaten, says Jackey the Land,
He's eaten, he's eaten, says every one."
The air is given in Barrow's Mona Melodies, 1820. The custom is not peculiar to the Isle of Man. Sonnini, in his Travels, says the inhabitants of the town of Cistat, near Marseilles, armed with sabres and pistols commence the anniversary by hunting the wren. Crofton Croker, in his " Researches in the South of Ireland," 1824, p. 233, mentions this custom as prevailing there. There are various traditions and superstitions regarding this bud still current in the Island, and some fishermen will not yet venture to sea without one of these dead birds with them.
:-)
Ian
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sj
