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.
The robin red-breast and the wran
Coost out about the parritch pan;
And ere the robin got a spune,
The wran she had the parritch dune.
Robin, robin red-breast,
Laverock, and the wren,
If you harry their nest
You'll never thrive agen.
1600
What bird so sings, yet does so wail?
'Tis philomel, the nightingale;
"Jugg! jugg! terue!" she cries,
And hating earth to heaven she flies.