NOTES, QUERIES, NOTICES, AND NEWS.
Notes on the Robin-cycle.—In Mélusine, pp. 193-196, there is printed a Breton song, "Les Noces du Roitelet," which is evidently connected with the English Robin and Wren cycle. All the birds are bidden to the wren's wedding, and each one is to bring some gift, as the bridegroom is not rich. The cock comes and sings before the wedding procession, the rook brings bread, the crow a lighted torch? the magpie a piece of meat, the jay a flask of wine, the woodcock acts as priest, the snipe as bell-ringer, the cuckoo comes with a drum, the nightingale sings songs, the sparrowhawk is water-carrier, the black-bird brings money, the thrush will beg for them, the starling will carry a faggot, the kite comes with the dove, the lark sings across the river, the yellow-hammer near the door, the swallow on the house-top, linnet and starling come together, finch and hoopoe, all birds were present, but one stayed away. This song is apparently only found in Brittany, at least I have not met with it in any purely French collection. The points of contact with the two English rhymes, "The Wedding of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren" and "The Death and Burial of Cock Robin" are too obvious to need pointing out in detail.—An Irish friend told me many years ago a sequel to the "Death of Cock Robin." Each part of Robin's body is mentioned, and it is asked what shall be done with it. The answers run thus:
What shall we make of his blood?
"Paint, paint," said Flibbertigibbet;
"Paint, paint," said Tippetywitchet;
"Paint, paint," said Peter Malone;
And "Paint, paint," said everyone.
A spoon is made of his beak, quill pens of his feathers, &c. Can any one tell me if this has been printed, or point out a song with a similar refrain?Alfred Nutt.
The Witch Spell on Cattle (p. 57).—In connection with Mr. Gregor's story, an extract from Ellis's Modern Husbandman[1] should
- ↑ Folk-Lore Record, vol. iii. p. 86.
