The Wren-boys, as they are called, start in the early hours of the morning. First, they meet at some house fixed upon, to dress. The leader is dressed up in a covering of straw tied round him, and has his face blacked. He carries a big staff to which the wren is tied; (but more often than not the wren is left out). One is dressed in women's clothes, the rest have scarfs and ribbons tied to their sleeves, and any sort of fanciful headgear. Two, called the sergeants, are chosen to collect the money, and there is also a musician, or perhaps two. They walk miles, and call at all the big houses. The leader goes first, and cuts all manner of capers, and jumps about ; the rest dance—jigs or any kind of dance. They sing this rhyme:
"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze.
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
Give us an answer and we'll be gone."[1]
In the evening they come back into the town and divide the money among themselves, and spend it as each pleases.
Twelfth Night, which is Old Christmas Day, is a greater day than Christmas Day itself. Thirteen rushlights are made in remembrance of the numbers at the Last Supper, and each is named after some member of the family. If there are not enough in the household other relations' names are added. The candles are stuck in a cake of cow-dung and lighted, and as each burns out, so will be the length of each person's life. Rushlights are only used for this occasion.
All these customs were in use when I left Ireland ten years ago, and so far as I am aware they are still continued.
10a, Iverna Gardens, Kensington.
- ↑ [The last couplet occurs in the November Souling and dementing songs of the West Midlands of England.—Ed.]
