This week I took a couple of pictures of a wren and decided to add write a blog about these ‘wee’ birds.
Now, if you have been paying attention to previous blogs, you’ll know I generally don’t write lots about the birds I feature from a biological perspective (the RSPB and others do that better than I). What I do is explore the cultural references about them and so it wasn’t surprising when my mind alighted upon the nursery rhyme “Jenny Wren”
I went to find out what the actual words to the rhyme are and my surprise was just how long the rhyme is.
It also gives me an excuse to populate the verses with some other pictures I ‘shot’ that day - a robin a sparrow, a kite, a blackbird…
It was a merry time,
When Jenny Wren was young,
So neatly as she dressed,
And so sweetly as she sung.
Robin Redbreast lost his heart,
He was a gallant bird;
He doffed his hat to Jenny,
And thus to her he said:
"My dearest Jenny Wren,
If you will but be mine,
You shall dine on cherry pie
And drink nice currant wine.
"I'll dress you like a goldfinch,
Or like a peacock gay:
So, if you'll have me, Jenny,
Let its appoint the day.''
Jenny blushed behind her fan,
And thus declared her mind
"Then let it be to-morrow, Bob
I take your offer kind.
"Cherry pie is very good,
So is currant wine;
But I'll wear my russet gown
And never dress too fine."
Robin rose up early,
At the break of day;
He flew to Jenny Wren's house
To sing a roundelay.
He met the Cock and Hen,
And bade the Cock declare
This was his wedding day
With Jenny Wren the fair.
The Cock then blew his horn,
To let the neighbours know
This was Robin's wedding day,
And they might see the show.
Then followed him the Lark,
For he could sweetly sing.
And he was to be the clerk
At Cock Robin's wedding.
He sang of Robin's love
For little Jenny Wren
And when he came unto the end,
Then he begin again.
At first came Parson Rook,
With his spectacles and band
And one of Mother Hubbard's books
He held within his hand.
The Goldfinch cause on next,
To give away the bride
The Linnet, being bridesmaid.
Walked by Jenny's side;
And as she was a-walking,
Said, "Upon my word,
I think that your Cock Robin
Is a very pretty bird."
The Blackbird and the Thrush,
And charming Nightingale,
Whose sweet songs sweetly echo
Through every grove and dale.
The Sparrow and the Tomtit,
And many more were there
All came to see the wedding
Of Jenny Wren the fair.
The Bullfinch walked by Robin,
And thus to them did say:
"Pray mark, friend Robin Redbreast,
That Goldfinch dressed so gay;
"That though her gay apparel
Becomes her very well,
Yet Jenny's modest dress and look
Must bear away the bell."
Then came the bride and bridegroom
Quite plainly was she dressed,
And blushed so munch, her cheeks were
As red as Robin's breast.
Rut Robin cheered her up
"My pretty Jen," says he,
We're going to be married,
And happy we shall be."
"Oh,'' then says Parson Rook,
"Who gives this maid away?"
"I do," says the Goldfinch,
"And her fortune I will pay:
"Here's a bag of grain of marry sorts,
And other things beside;
Now happy be the bridegroom.
And happy be the bride!"
"And you will have her, Robin,
To be your wedded wife?
Yes, I will,'' says Robin,
"And love her all my life!"
"And you will have him Jenny,
Your husband now to be?"
"Yes, I will," says Jenny,
"And love him heartily.''
Then on her finger fair
Cock Robin put the ring;
"You're married now,'' says Parson Rook,
While the lark aloud did sing;
"Happy be the bridegroom,
And happy be the bride
And may not man, nor bird, nor beast,
This happy pair divide!"
The birds were asked to dine
Not Jenny's friends alone,
But every pretty songster
That had Cock Robin known.
They had a cherry pie,
Besides some currant wine,
And every guest brought something,
That sumptuous they might dine.
Now they all sat or stood,
To eat and to drink;
And every one said what
He happened to think.
They each took a bumper,
And drank to the lair;
Cock Robin the bridegroom,
And Jenny the fair.
The dinner-things removed,
They all began to sing;
And soon they made the place
For a mile around to ring.
The concert it was fine,
And every birdie tried
Who best should sing for Robin
And Jenny Wren the bride.
When in came the Cuckoo,
And made a great rout
He caught hold of Jenny,
And pulled her about.
Cock Robin was angry,
And so was the Sparrow,
Who fetched in a hurry
His bow and his arrow.
His aim then he took,
But he took it not right,
His skill was not good,
Or he shot in a fright.
For the Cuckoo he missed,
But Cock Robin he killed
And all the birds mourned
That his blood was so spilled
Who killed Cock Robin?
"I," said the Sparrow,
"With my bow and arrow,"
I killed Cock Robin."
Who saw him die
"I" said the Fly,
"With my little eye,
And I saw him die."
Who caught his blood?
"I," said the Fish,
"With my little dish,
And I caught his blood."
Who made his shroud?
"I," said the Beetle,
"With my little needle,
And I made his shroud.
Who shall dig his grave ?
"I," said the Owl,
"With my spade and show'l,
And I'll dig his grave."
Who'll be the parson ?
"I" said the Rook,
"With my little book,
And I'll be the parson."
Who'll be the clerk ?
"I," said the Lark,
"If it's not in the dark,
And I'll be the clerk."
Who'll carry him to the grave ?
"I," said the Kite,
"If tis not in the night,
And I'll carry him to his grave."
Who'll be the chief mourner ?
"I," said the Dove,
"I mourn for my love,
And I'll be chief mourner."
Who'll carry the link ?
"I," said the Linniet,
"I'll fetch it in a minute,
And I'll carry the link."
Who'll sing a psalm ?
"I," said the Thrush,
As she sat in a bush,
"And I'll sing a psalm."
And who'll toll the bell ?
"I," said the Bull,
"Because I can' pull ;"
And so, Cock Robin, farewell.
My next discovery was “The Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren”, which is neither a poem nor quite a story but something in-between and another surprise it turns out to have been authored by Robert Burns.
The source of this information was Isabella Burns, the youngest sister of Robert Burns. who recalled her brother telling the tale to entertain the younger members of his family at Lochlea Farm, such as herself, Annabella, John and William.
The tale was first published by Dr Robert Chambers in his "Popular Rhymes of Scotland".
There was an auld grey Poussie Baudrons (cat), and she gaed awa’ down by a water-side, and there she saw a wee Robin Redbreast happin’ on a brier; and Poussie Baudrons says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And Poussie Baudrons says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny white ring round my neck." But wee Robin says: "Na, na! grey Poussie Baudrons; na, na! Ye worry’t the wee mousie but ye’se no worry me."[11]
So wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to a fail fauld-dike, and there he saw a grey greedy gled (hawk) sitting. And grey greedy gled says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And grey greedy gled says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny feather in my wing." But wee Robin says: "Na, na! grey greedy gled; na, na! Ye pookit (plucked) a’ the wee lintie (linnet); but ye’se no pook me."[12]
So wee Robin flew an’ till be came to the cleuch (gorge) o’ a craig and there he saw slee Tod Lowrie (fox) sitting. And slee Tod Lowrie says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And slee Tod Lowrie says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny spot on the tap o’ my tail". But wee Robin says: "Na, na! slee Tod Lowrie; Na, na! Ye worry’t (savaged) the wee lammie (lamb); but ye’se no worry me."[13]
So wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to a bonny burn-side, and there he saw a wee callant (boy) sitting. And the wee callant says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And the wee callant says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll gie ye a wheen grand moolins (crumbs) out o’ my pooch." But wee Robin says: "Na, na! wee callant; na, na! Ye speldert (ripped apart) the gowdspink (goldfinch); but ye’se no spelder me."[14]
So wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to the king, and there he sat on a winnock sole (window sill) and sang the king a bonny sang. And the king says to the queen: "What’ll we gie to wee Robin for singing us this bonny sang?" And the queen says to the king: "I think we’ll gie him the wee wran to be his wife."[15]
So wee Robin and the wee wran were married, and the king, and the queen, and a’ the court danced at the waddin’; syne he flew awa’ hame to his ain water-side, and happit on a brier.
Another surprise was to discover that Jenny Wren is also a song by Paul McCartney, which was on his 2005 album “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard”. The song was nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category.
Researching this a bit further I then discovered that McCartney wasn’t just inspired to write the song about the bird, which is reported to be his favourite, but Jenny Wren is also a character in Charles Dickens’ 1865 novel Our Mutual Friend.
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