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.