From Aristotle to Wren Day: Unravelling the Story of 'The King of Birds’

July 23, 2023 Róisín Mallon

Have you heard the folklore story of how the wren became 'The King of Birds'?

Here’s my version of it:

Long ago, all the birds gathered to choose who should be titled 'The King of Birds’. Each species had different powers making it difficult for them to choose the best. So, in the end they decided that the bird who flew the highest will be crowned the King. As soon as the birds took off into the air, the little wren hid in the feathers of the eagle, because she knew the eagle could fly the highest. The eagle flew higher and higher to a point where he was sure that no other bird could go. Then as he came down, confident that he had won, he heard a voice from above him claiming 'I am the king, I am the king!'. It was the little wren who had been hiding in his feathers. She flew above the eagle without tiring herself unlike the rest of the birds who tried to fly high but could not beat the eagle. So even though the eagle might have won by using his strength, it was the clever little wren who was awarded the title 'The King of Birds’ because of her wisdom.

I discovered that this tale has been passed down through generations, with different versions cropping up across various cultures.

That got me curious, so I did a bit of digging and I got lost down a lovely rabbit hole. I’ve pulled out the best bits for you here…

Wren Day:

In Ireland, up until the early 20th century a group of "wren boys", dressed up in masks and unusual clothes, would hunt the wren on St Stephen’s Day. When one or more of the birds were found and killed, they were tied to a branch or put in a basket. They would then bring this from house to house singing the wren (or wran) song and asking for money "to bury the wren."

Here’s a version of the song the wren boys would sing at each house:

The money gathered was then used to have a party for the community.

Fortunately, nowadays, stuffed toys or other fake birds are used instead of real birds.

Here are some great YouTube clips about Wren Day that Michael Fortune from Folklore.ie has collected:

The wren, the king:

The wren holds significant symbolism across various countries, often referred to as 'the king', 'little king', or 'prince' of birds. Celtic languages refer to it as the 'druid bird', emphasising its importance in folklore and ancient beliefs.

So why was this kingly bird hunted by the wren boys?

If this has whetted your appetite, I recommend reading this interesting comprehensive blog post from Old European Culture.

I also have my drawing for sale on my website on a mug, tote bag and t-shirt. They’re all available worldwide!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post as much as I enjoyed researching it. Feel free to share your thoughts or any other folklore stories you'd like me to explore!