The robin red-breast and the wren
Are God Almighty's cock and hen; [39]
The martin and the swallow
Are the two next birds that follow.
| [39] | The wren was also called our Lady's hen. See Cotgrave, in v. Berchot. |
The next was obtained from Essex:
A robin and a titter-wren
Are God Almighty's cock and hen;
A martin and a swallow
Are God Almighty's shirt and collar!
And the following from Warwickshire:
The robin and the wren
Are God Almighty's cock and hen;
The martin and the swallow
Are God Almighty's bow and arrow! [40]
| [40] | In Cheshire the last line is, "Are God's mate and marrow," marrow being a provincial term for a companion. See Wilbraham's Chesh. Gloss. p. 105. |
The latter part of this stanza is thus occasionally varied:
The martin and the swallow
Are God Almighty's birds to hollow;
where the word hollow is most probably a corruption of the verb hallow, to keep holy. [41] If this conjecture be correct, it exhibits the antiquity of the rhyme.