Dublin born friends just returned from their 'christmass in ireland' and told us about a recent newspaper report about the traditional story of 'wren boys' on St. Stephen's day. This story connects to the 'stoning of Stephen the martyr'. Stephen's enemies were searching for him by following a small bird into a thicket where Stephen was found.....the small bird is blamed for disclosing the location of 'the hiding Stephen'.... http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%22the+wren+boys%22+St.+Stephen%27s+day+Newfoundland+and+ireland&fr=ush1-mail http://trails.wildnewfoundland.com/triton.htm We all know about stories that have modified, with the telling, down through the ages. Cheers, Lloyd &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& --- [email protected] wrote: > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Christmas tradition of the WREN (Allan B. Costello) > 2. Obituary - Elizabeth (Betty) STRUB (johanna hardy) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2007 23:13:42 -0800 > From: "Allan B. Costello" <[email protected]> > Subject: [NFLD-LAB] Christmas tradition of the WREN > To: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected] > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > > Hello all and Happy New Year! I was talking to my grandmother > over the > holidays (87 and sharp as a tack!) and she was telling me about > the Xmas > tradition of the wren. I was wondering if anyone else remembers > this and > where it may have started. My grandmother says it was common in > the 1950's > when her children were young. > > Apparently on St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day), the young fellas > in the place > would go around, house to house with a bird (a wren) on a stick. > They'd > sing this little song and you'd give them a few cents or a > dollar or > whatever. The song went something like: > > The wren, the wren... the king of all birds > St. Stephen's Day was caught in a fuss > Although he was little, his honor was great > Jump up young lady and give us a treat. > Up with the kettle and down with the pan > A penney or two will bury the wren. > A pocket full of money and a cellar of beer > I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! > > Any info or thoughts would be great! > > ABC > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Dr. Allan B. Costello (a.k.a. "East Coast Al") > 12245 Haldi Lake Road > Prince George, BC V2N 6J5 > Email: [email protected] > Researching: COSTELLO, WALSH, MEANEY, FLYNN, WHELAN, SLYNEY, > GORMAN and > others originating from Conception Bay, NL and > MAILLET > FROM Cheticamp, NS > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com