The Book of Christmas: Descriptive of the Customs, Ceremonies, Traditions ... By Thomas Kibble Hervey:
The Wren boys in Ireland who are also called Droleens go from house to house for the purpose of levying contributions carrying one or more of these birds in the midst of a bush of holly gaily decorated with colored ribands which birds they have like the Manx mummers employed their morning in killing The following is their song of which they deliver themselves in most monotonous music The wren the wren the king of all birds St Stephen" The tpit got up like a naked man And swore he d fight with the dripping pan The pan got up and cocked his tail And swore he d send them all to jail

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