The other day I wrote about the ‘Wren, The King of animals’ folk story but here is another one filled with symbolism and traditions….
The Druid and the wren have always been closely related. In Ireland the wren was called a Drui-en, or Druid bird; in Welsh the word Dryw signifies both a druid and a wren.
The Druid’s house is often referred to as the wren’s nest – a place of comfort and safety for another important symbol in druidry is the egg. The Druid’s Egg articulates the idea that in order to grow and change there is required periods of incubation – withdrawing from the world to allow the opportunity to reform in the womb of time. The wren’s nest was said to be protected by lightning. Whoever tried to steal wren’s eggs or baby wrens would find their house struck by lightning and their hands would shrivel up.
There is a tradition that like most old rituals has a slightly mean and not-so-nice angle, of wren hunting. The Wren Day (one of Ireland’s public holidays) is also called St. Stephens Day and is celebrated on the 26th of December. It started when apprentice Druids would go out by themselves into the countryside in search of hidden wisdom. It is quite difficult to actually see a wren and if he found one he would take that as a sign that he would be blessed with inner knowledge in the coming year because it is said that a wren symbolizes wisdom (see story). Finding a creature small and elusive to the point of invisibility was a metaphor for finding the elusive divinity within all life.
This is where some say that the saying ‘a little bird once told me…‘ come from. Isn’t that delightful!
References: Drui-en (geocities), Winter wren (wiki).
