In was the custom in most places and in some places still is for the young men to dress up in fantastic clothes on St Stephen's day and get all the musical instruments they could find and go from door to doo singing songs and dancing in return for money or food.
They would carry a wren on a pole covered with rags. The hunted the wren that morning.
Some time before St Stephen's Day they stole a goat and killed it and made tambourines with the skin.
About five in the eveing they got ready and went from house to house collecting by singing or dancing. Each person had a special or dance to do by himself. When they were about to leave a house the person with the wren held it out and they all sang this song together.

The wren, the wren the king of all birds
On St Stephen's day he was caught in the furze.
Altho' he is little his family is great.
So rise up land lady and give us a treat.