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What’s with this “Wren” thing?
The oldest extant version of the fable
we
are presenting here appeared in 1913 in the first volume of a two-volume anthology
of Low
Saxon folktales (Plattdeutsche
Volksmärchen “Low German Folktales”)
collected by Wilhelm Wisser (1843–1935). Read
more ...
Lanky (Lancastrian) Dialect of County Palatine of Lancaster, England
Thur wur wunce a wren woo med ’is whorm in a car shade. Un thur ’e livt wi ’is
clorsest kin. Wun dae ’im an’ is rib wen’ eawt for ter sken fer sum scran fo’t
fetch fer ther yung’uns, levin’ bairn brids on ther tod!
Aftr’ sum taim th’owld mayl wren kem whorm.
“Wat’s bin gor’n on ere?” ’e axt, “’As summit appened? Tha bairns leawk
freetent ter deth!”
“Bleedin’ nora, Par!” sed ’sprogs, “A hyoge boggart jus kem bi, jus neaw!
’E wur reet orrid un scurey! E skened in ter us ’nest wi ’is hyoge eens! I’
din’t ’alf scured us un we cun’t dee neawt abeawt i’.”
“Ah see,” sed ’e, “Whur’s ’e begged off ter neaw then?”
“’E wen’ deawn tha’ wae!”
“Tha lickle’uns, stae ere,” sed th’owld father wren
“Ah’m gor’n fo’t learn ’im a lesson ’e’ll niver foget! Neaw dorn’t thee
fret thasens. Ah’ll gerr’im.” Sor off ’e wen’ fray’ nest aftr’ th’boggart!
’E turnt’ bend un sin a liyn mootchin urlong.
Bu’ th’ wren wurn’t afraid.
E seet reet on’ liyn’s back un started giein ’im watfor! “Woo th’ell dus’t
reckon thee are, cumin ter mi nest un freetnin mi wee bairns?!”
Th’ fell liyn din’t pae much ’eed ter wren thor, un jus kept moochin urlong.
Tha’ reet miffed th’ wren iven mooer, un ’e started fo’t really gi th’
liyn a reet tickin off, “Tha’ve geet nae reason fo’t cumin ter mi nest! Un
if thee cum back,” ’e said, “then tha’ll knor abeawt i’! Ah dorn’t wunt fo’rr
’ave a barney wi thee, un gerr’ aggressive wi thee,” ’e sed purr’in wun shank
in th’eur, “Burr’ Ah’ll ave fo’t crack thi back if tha dee! Sor gor on ’slinger
thi hook’!”
Aftr’ sae’n tha’, ’e flyed back ter’is nest
“Thur be neawt fo’t fret abeawt neaw mi lickle’uns” ’e sed, “Ah’ve learnt
’im! ’E sharn’t be cumin back ter midder us urging.”
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