School: Drumgownagh

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1. Bird-Lore (continued)

   

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   The cuckoo is the only bird that builds no nest. She lays her one egg in the nest of another bird and when the egg is hatched she may be seen flying about accompanied by 'rewogeen' as the young cuckoo is called.
   There is a story told of the time the Holy Family were flying from King Herods soldiers. The Blessed Virgin took shelter under a poplar tree. The cuckoo had her nest in the poplar tree and was on the nest most of the time. It is said that the poplar trembled with fear from that to this day the poplar is trembling and the cowardly cuckoo flew from the tree and alarmed the whole place singing cuckoo'. The story tells that from that day to this the cuckoo never has a nest of her own. The wren is looked upon as a good bird. The wren is said to enter the stable on the night Our Blessed Saviour was born. There is also a story told of the robin. When our Blessed Lord was dying a little robin was perched on an arm of the cross. And endeavoured with all her might with her little bill to draw the nail from his sacred hand. In doing so her breast got coloured with the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
         1. bird-lore (~2,478)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Siobhán Ní Choistealbhaigh

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cornageeha, Co. Leitrim