THE WREN
The wren is mortally hated by the Irish; for on one occasion, when the
Irish troops were approaching to attack a portion of Cromwell's army, the
wrens came and perched on the Irish drums, and by their tapping and noise
aroused the English soldiers, who fell on the Irish troops and killed them all.
So ever since the Irish hunt the wren on St. Stephen's Day, and teach their
children to run it through with thorns and kill it whenever it can be caught.
A dead wren was also tied to a pole and carried from house to house by
boys, who demanded money; if nothing was given the wren was buried on
the door-step, which was considered a great insult to the family and a
degradation.
THE RAVEN AND WATER WAGTAIL
If ravens come cawing about a house it is a sure sign of death, for the
raven is Satan's own bird; so also is the water wagtail, yet beware of killing
it, for it has three drops of the devil's blood in its little body, and ill-luck
ever goes with it, and follows it.
THE CUCKOO AND ROBIN REDBREAST
It is very unlucky to kill the cuckoo or break its eggs, for it brings fine
weather; but most unlucky of all things is to kill the robin redbreast. The
robin is God's own bird, sacred and holy, and held in the greatest
veneration because of the beautiful tradition current amongst the people,
that it was the robin plucked out the sharpest thorn that was piercing
Christ's brow on the cross; and in so doing the breast of the bird was dyed
red with the Saviour's blood, and so has remained ever since a sacred and
blessed sign to preserve the robin from harm and make it beloved of all men.
CONCERNING LIVING CREATURES
THE CRICKET
THE crickets are believed to be enchanted. People do not like to express
an exact opinion about them, so they are spoken of with great mystery and
awe, and no one would venture to kill them for the whole world. But they
are by no means evil; on the contrary, the presence of the cricket is