In Southey's _Common Place Book_ it is noted that the three Vicars of Bampton, Oxon., give beef and beer on the morning of St. Stephen's day to those who choose to partake of it. This is called St. Stephen's breakfast. The same book also mentions a singular custom in Wales, that on this day everybody is privileged to whip another person's legs with holly, which is often reciprocated till the blood streams down; and this is corroborated in Mason's _Tales and Traditions of Tenby_, where it is mentioned as being practised in that town. We have heard of hunting the wren in the Isle of Man; the same custom obtains in the south of Ireland, only it takes place on St. Stephen's day. There is a tradition which is supposed to account for this animosity against this pretty and harmless little bird. In one of the many Irish rebellions a night march was made by a body of rebels on a party of royalists, and when, about dawn of day, they neared the sleeping out-posts, a slumbering drummer was aroused by a tapping on his drum; and, giving the alarm, the rebels were repulsed. The tapping was caused by a wren pecking at the crumbs left on the drum-head after the drummer's last meal. Henceforward a grudge was nursed against the wren, which has existed until now. The "wren boys" go round, calling at houses, either having a dead wren in a box, or hung on a holly bush, and they sing a song:-- The Wran, the Wran, the king of all birds, On St. Stephen's day she's cotched in the furze; Although she's but wee, her family's great, So come down, Lan'leddy, and gie us a trate. Then up wi' the kettle, an' down wi' the pan, An' let us ha' money to bury the Wran. Croker, in his _Researches in the South of Ireland_ (p. 233), gives us more of this song:-- The Wren, the Wren, the King of all birds, St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze; Although he is little, his family's great, I pray you, good landlady, give us a treat. My box would speak if it had but a tongue, And two or three shillings would do it no wrong; Sing holly, sing ivy--sing ivy, sing holly, A drop just to drink, it would drown melancholy. And, if you draw it of the best, I hope in Heaven your soul may rest; But, if you draw it of the small, It won't agree with the Wren boys at all, etc. etc. "A small piece of money is usually bestowed on them, and the evening concludes in merrymaking with the money thus collected." CHAPTER XXVII St. John's Day--Legend of the Saint--Carols for the Day--Holy Innocents--Whipping Children--Boy Bishops--Ceremonies connected therewith--The King of Cockney's Unlucky Day--Anecdote thereon--Carol for the Day. The 27th December is set apart by the Church to commemorate St. John the Evangelist. Googe, in his translation of Naogeorgus, says:--