Subject: Lyr Add: More Wran Songs
From:
*#1 PEASANT*
Date: 10 Dec 06 - 05:16 PM
From: The Folk Lore and Provincial Names of British Birds
by Charles Swainson - 1886
More on Hunting the Wren
A Mr. Neligan quoted in Thompson's "Birds of Ireland" notes that hunting the wren is a favorite pastime of the peasantry of Kerry on Christmas Day. This they do, each using two sticks, one to beat the bushes, the other to fling at the bird. It was the boast of an old man, whom lately died at the age of a hundred, that he had hunted the wren for the last eighty years on Christmas Day. ON St. Stephen's day the children and young men exhibit the slaughtered birds on an ivy bush decked with ribbons of various various colours, and carry them about singing a song of which the first is given in Crofton Croker's "Researches," p. 233
"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, it 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 your soul in heaven may rest;
But if you draw it of the small,
It won't agree with the wren-boys at all.."
Another wren carol comes from Notes and Queries, Ser. I., xii. 489, ser. II., i. 10e, where it is stated as being sung at Waterford and Youghal.
Introduction
To Mr. …we've brought the Wran,
He is the best gentleman in the land:
Put in your hand, pull; out your purse
And give us something for the poor Wran!
I.
The Wran the Wran, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze;
Although he is little, his family's great--
I pray, young landlady you'll fill us a treat!
Chorus: Sing overem, overem, droleen: (bis)
Sing overem overum, overum, chitimicore, hebemegola, tambereen.
II
If you fill it of the small
It won't agree with our boys at all:
But if you fill it of the best,
I hope your soul in Heaven may rest!
Chorus: Sing overem, etc.
III
It is the Wran, as you may see,
'Tis guarded in a holly tree;
A bunch of ribands by his side,
And the….boys be his guide.
Chorus: Sing overem, etc.
IV.
On Christmas Day I turned the Spit,
I burned my fingers, I feel it yet:
Between my finger and my thumb
I eat the roast meat every crumb.
Chorus: Sing overem, etc.
V
We were all day hunting the Wren,
We were all day hunting the Wren;
The Wren so cute and we so cunning,
He stayed in the bush while we were running.
Chorus: Sing overem, etc.
VI
When we went to cut the holly
All our boys were brisk and jolly;
We cut it down all in a trice,
Which made our Wren boys to rejoice.
Chorus: Sing overem, etc.
(the last three verses are found only in Waterford versions.)
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