The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

ON ST. STEPHEN'S DAY, IN COUNTY KERRY, IRELAND, THE MEN
AND BOYS OF THE COUNTY PERFORM AN UNUSUAL SERIES OF
RITES IN ORDER TO RAISE MONEY FOR A DANCE. THEY CATCH
A LIVE WREN, DRESS IT WITH FANCY RIBBONS, AND TIE IT
TO THE BRANCH OF A TREE CALLED "THE FURZE." THEN THIS
GROUP OF MEN AND BOYS GO AROUND TO EACH HOME IN THE
COUNTY WITH THE WREN IN HAND. THEY SHOW THE POOR WREN
TRAPPED ON THE TREE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE HOME, WHILE AT
THE SAME TIME RECITING THIS POEM:
THE WREN, THE WREN, KING OF ALL BIRDS,
ST. STEPHEN'S DAY HE WAS CAUGHT ON THE FURZE;
THE FURZE WAS DRY AND SO WAS I.
A COUPLE OF PENCE WILL MAKE ME FLY.

UP WITH THE KETTLE AND UP WITH THE PANS,
GIVE US OUR ANSWER AND WE'LL BE GONE.
MONEY WOULD THEN BE COLLECTED FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE HOME
FOR A BIG DANCE THAT EVENING. ANYONE WHO DONATED COULD
GO TO THE DANCE FREE.

Submitter comment: THIS CUSTOM WAS PRACTICED ANNUALLY BY THE PEOPLE OF
COUNTY KERRY, IRELAND. MR. SULLIVAN FIRST LEARNED OF
THIS PRACTICE APPROXIMATELY FORTY YEARS AGO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; IRELAND ; COUNTY KERRY

Date learned: 12-29-1963 ; 00-00-1943

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