Having procured a wren, the bird was placed in a little house of paper with glass windows, sometimes a cage or a lantern, or a box was used for that purpose, and often decorated with coloured ribbons, and "every young lady, and even old ladies, used to compete in presenting the grandest ribbon to the "wren."
The cage or the lantern thus decorated with the little bird in it, was hoisted on four poles, one at each corner, and four men carried it about for the purpose of levying contributions, singing a long ballad or ditty such as follows on the following tune:--
"Where are you going? says Milder to Melder, O where are you going? says the younger to the elder; O I cannot tell says Festel to Fose; We're going to the woods said John the Red Nose. We're going to the woods said John the Red Nose.
"O what will you do there? says Milder to Melder, O what will you do there? says the younger to the elder; O I do not know, says Festel to Fose; To shoot the cutty wren, said John the Red Nose, To shoot the cutty wren, said John the Red Nose.
"O what will you shoot her with? says Milder to Melder, O what will you shoot her with? says the younger to the elder O I cannot tell, says Festel to Fose; With bows and arrows, said John the Red Nose, With bows and arrows, said John the Red Nose.
"O that will not do! says Milder to Melder, O that will not do says the younger to the elder; O what will you do then? says Festel to Fose; With great guns and cannons says John the Red Nose, With great guns and cannons says John the Red Nose.
"O what will you bring her home in? says Milder to Melder, O what will you bring her home in? says the younger to elder; O I cannot tell, says Festel to Fose; On four strong men's shoulders, said John the Red Nose. On four strong men's shoulders, said John the Red Nose.
"O that will not do, says Milder to Melder, O that will not do, says the younger to the elder; O what will you do then? says Fester to Fose; On big carts and waggons, said John the Red Nose, On big carts and waggons, said John the Red Nose.
"What will you cut her up with? says Milder to Melder, What will you cut her up with? says the younger to the elder; O I do not know, saith Festel to Fose; With knives and with forks, said John the Red Nose, With knives and with forks, said John the Red Nose.