The Legend of the Redbreast.
“ There is a little bird, mamma, 1
Upon our holly-tree. 2
And with his twinkling great black eye 3
He looks so shy at me.4
“ I love that little bird, mamma, 5
So gentle and so still, 6
To see him pluck the berries bright, 7
Between his slender bill.8
“ That he is God’s ‘ own bird,’ mamma, 9
You very oft have said : 10
Why is his little eye so bright, 11
His little breast so red ?”12
“ It is a pretty tale, my child, 13
Come stand beside my knee, 14
And I will tell my little Kate 15
Red Robin’s history.16
“ When Jesus for my little girl 17
And all his children died, 18
By wicked men unto the cross, 19
Nailed fast and crucified ;20
“ There came a gentle little bird, 21
Who, with his efforts weak, 22
Pluck’d one from out the ‘ crown of thorns’ 23
Within his tiny beak.24
“ And as he pull’d, the crimson stream, 25
The holiest and the best, 26
Flowing from where the thorn had been, 27
Stain’d Robin’s downy breast :28
“ So ever when the snow comes round 29
To end the wintry year, 30
Perch’d high upon the holly-bough 31
The Redbreast warbles clear.32
“ No other songster on the spray 33
At Christmas time is heard ; 34
But when the Saviour’s birth we keep 35
We hear ‘ The Saviour’s bird.’ ”36