The Robin and the Red-breast Lyrics
A warning to anyone tempted to take eggs from a nest: leave the robin, the wren, the martin and the swallow alone, or bad luck will follow.
The Robin and the Red-breast
The robin and the red-breast,
The robin and the wren;
If ye take from their nest,
Ye'll never thrive again!
The robin and the red-breast,
The martin and the swallow;
If ye touch one of their eggs,
Bad luck will surely follow.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-robin-and-the-red-breast/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| The robin and the wren | Make a small bird with your hands and let it hop. |
| If ye touch one of their eggs | Hold your hands behind your back. |
| Bad luck will surely follow | Wag your finger as a warning. |
What Does The Robin and the Red-breast Mean?
Robin and red-breast are two names for the same bird, used together for the rhythm. Martins and swallows build their nests on houses and barns, so they lived very close to people. Country folk believed that harming these birds or their eggs would bring bad luck, and that belief helped keep the nests safe. Ye'll never thrive means you will never do well again.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from Walter Jerrold's The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (1903), where it is called "A Warning". Many old rhymes and sayings protected the robin and the wren, which were among the most loved birds in the British countryside.
Learning Activities
- Nest watch: look for nests in hedges or under the eaves of a house, from a distance.
- Bird match: find pictures of a robin, a wren, a martin and a swallow.
- Nest craft: build a nest from twigs and grass and fill it with play dough eggs.