When Jenny Wren Was Young

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’Twas once upon a time,
When Jenny Wren was young,
So daintily she danced
And so prettily she sung.

Robin Redbreast lost his heart,
For he was a gallant bird.
So he doffed his hat to Jenny Wren,
Requesting to be heard.

“O dearest Jenny Wren,
If you will but be mine,
You shall feed on cherry pie
And drink new currant wine.

I’ll dress you like a goldfinch,
Or any peacock gay.
So, dearest Jen, if you’ll be mine,
Let us appoint the day.”

Jenny blushed behind her fan
And thus declared her mind:
“Since, dearest Bob, I love you well,
I take your offer kind.

Cherry pie is very nice,
And so is currant wine.
But I must wear my plain brown gown
And never go too fine.”

Origins

The story of Jenny Wren and Robin Redbreast has been around for centuries. Versions of their “marriage” appear in old ballads and folk songs as far back as the 18th century, and Scottish tradition even claims that Robert Burns passed down a version. These weren’t just random names — Jenny Wren and Robin Redbreast were popular stock characters in English and Scottish folklore, often popping up as if they were little people living bird lives. The rhyme here feels like a polished slice of those older stories, slimmed down into a charming exchange between two familiar birds.

Meaning

At its heart, the rhyme is about modesty. Robin offers Jenny the world — pie, wine, bright feathers — but she refuses to be dressed up like a peacock. She wants her plain brown gown, nothing more. Kids hear a sweet animal love story, with birds talking and courting like people. Adults smile at the lesson hidden inside: true love doesn’t need fancy gifts, and sense beats showiness. Jenny’s “no” to luxury is really a “yes” to keeping her own dignity.

Cultural Background

Illustrators loved to draw Jenny Wren in her modest brown dress, sometimes holding a fan, while Robin stood beside her in all his red-breasted pride. The rhyme often showed up in collections alongside other bird-verses, because birds were easy to turn into human-like characters. In some homes, this rhyme was read like a little fable — parents pointing out Jenny’s wisdom while children enjoyed the picture of birds acting like ladies and gentlemen.