School: Newtown (roll number 3275)

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1. Bird-Lore

   

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   The swallow and the corn crake come here in the summer, and migrate in the winter because they like warm weather. here is a short account of how some birds build their nests. The swallow builds her nest of mud and clay, on rafters or eaves of old houses. They are lined inside with feathers or wool. When it is complete she lays five small white eggs and hatches them for a couple of weeks.
   The robin builds her nest of moss and wool, in a mossy bank. She lays five eggs and remains a week or two on them.
   The weather can be judged by some birds. When the swallow flies low it is a sign of rain, and when they fly high it is a sign of good weather. When plovers are seen it is a sign of frost or snow.
   This is a traditional version of how the robin got its red breast. On Good Friday it tried to pull the thorns from our Lord's head and in doing so it rubbed its breast against the blood of our Lord, and so it got a red breast. Another story says that a boy was left to mind the first fire and unfortunately it nearly went out. A little robin saw this and went over and flapped its wings till it blazed up and so scorched its breast.
   Two birds follow the cuckoo because they

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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

   Delma Dillon

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Footstown Little, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Mr J. Dillon

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Footstown Little, Co. Meath