November 21st, 2008

Read Part 1: King Robin from Manx legend

You are reading Part 2: Cock Robin’s similarity to King Robin

As we remember from my post on Robin Hood’s original audacity, Robin’s Hood became desperately taken with a girl, variously known as Jenny, Janet, Joan, Betsy, Marian, Malkin Maizry, Margret, Aillee or whatever.

You will notice, in all the Cock Robin and Jenny rhymes below, that Robin is more human than bird:

(I have emphasized the parts which correspond best to the Manx above, and also the point in which Cock Robin has a horn)

‘Twas on a merry time,
When Jenny Wren was young,
So neatly as she danced,
And so sweetly as she sung,
Robin Redbreast lost his heart,
He was a gallant bird,
He doffed his cap to Jenny Wren,
Requesting to be heard.


“Oh, dearest Jenny Wren,
If you will but be mine,
You shall feed on cherry pie
And drink new currant wine,
I’ll dress you like a goldfinch
Or any peacock gay,
So if you’ll have me, Jenny, dear,
Let us appoint the day.”

Follow up:

Jenny blushed behind her fan
And thus declared her mind -
“So let it be to-morrow, Rob,
I’ll take your offer kind;
Cherry pie is very good,
And so is currant wine,
But I will wear my plain brown gown,
And never dress too fine.”

Robin Redbreast got up early,
All at the break of day,
He flew to Jenny Wren’s house,
And sang a roundelay;
He sang of Robin Redbreast,
And pretty Jenny Wren,
And when he came unto the end,
He then began again.

He met the Cock and Hen,
And bade the Cock declare
This was his wedding day
With Jenny Wren the fair.
The Cock then blew his horn,
To let the neighbours know
This was Robin’s wedding day,
And they might see the show.

Then followed him the Lark,
For he could sweetly sing,
And he was to be the clerk
At Cock Robin’s wedding.
The Goldfinch came next,
To give away the bride ;
The Linnet, being bridesmaid,
Walked by Jenny’s side ;

And as she was a-walking,
Said; ” Upon my word,,
I think that your Cock Robin
Is a very pretty bird.”
The Blackbird and the Thrush,
And charming Nightingale,
Whose sweet songs sweetly echo
Through every grove and dale ;

The Sparrow and the Tomtit,
And many more were there ;
All came to see the wedding
Of Jenny Wren the fair.
Then came the bride and bridegroom ;
Quite plainly was she dressed,
And blushed so much, her cheeks were
As red as Robin’s breast.

But Robin cheered her up ;
” My pretty Jen,” says he,
” We’re going to be married,
And happy we shall be.”
” And you will have her, Robin,
To be your wedded wife ? ‘
“Yes, I will,” says Robin,
” And love her all my life ! ‘

” And you will have him Jenny,
Your husband now to be ? ‘
“Yes, I will,” says Jenny,
“And love him heartily.”
Then on her finger fair
Cock Robin put the ring ;
” You’re married now’ says Parson Rook,
While the lark aloud did sing :

When in came the Cuckoo,
And made a great rout ;
He caught hold of Jenny,
And pulled her about.
Cock Robin was angry,
And so was the Sparrow,
Who fetched in a hurry
His bow and his arrow.

His aim then he took,
But he took it not right,
His skill was not good,
Or he shot in a fright ;
For the Cuckoo he missed,
But Cock Robin he killed !-
And all the birds mourned
That his blood was so spilled.

Strange ending, hey? Those last few lines I emphasized, because they are “strong” and probably from an older version of this rhyme. Compare it to another Cock Robin, where the Sparrow, Robin’s henchman, is also to blame:

Who killed poor robin
I, said the sparrow
With my bow and arrow
An’ I killed poor robin


All the birds of the air
Fell a-sighing and a-sobbing
When they heard the bell toll
For poor Cock Robin.

However, this is not how Robin died, so it must be interpreted in the light that it is an orphaned Robin Hood tradition within nursery rhymes, and viewed as a general facet of the overall legend. All the same, there are very excellent Scotch versions of Cock Robin and Jenny, strongly linked up to the Robin Hood legend through children’s games.

Follow to Part Three: Cock Robin’s explicit links to Robin Hood