メリークリスマス! Merry Xmas to Everyone

Have a Cool Yule! コマドリちゃんだ！

イギリスでは人家近くの林に生息し、警戒心が弱く人を恐れずに近付いてくるため、ヨーロッパコマドリは人々に愛されている。土を掘っている人間がいると、掘り起こされたミミズなどの餌を探すために好んで近付いてきたり、人間が一休みしているときに、地面に立てられたシャベルの取っ手に止まり周囲を見張っていたりする。

The robin features prominently in English folklore, and that of northweastern France, but much less so in other parts of Europe. It was held to be a storm-cloud bird and sacred to Thor, the god of thunder, in Norse mythology. More recently, it has become strongly associated with Christmas, taking a starring role on many a Christmas card since the mid-19th century. The Robin has also appeared on many Christmas postage stamps.

This is from my "Observer's Book of Birds" of 1968.

特徴的な赤い胸の由来にまつわる話もいくつかあり、その一つによると、かつてヨーロッパコマドリは全身茶色一色であったが、十字架に架けられたイエス・キリストの痛みを癒すため彼の側で歌を歌い（あるいは、いばらの冠を外そうとして）、その際にイエスの血によって胸が赤く染まったという。他にも、煉獄で焼かれている死者に水を運ぼうとして焦げた、煉獄の火を地上に運んできたミソサザイが火だるまになってしまったため、それを助けようとして焦げた、などという話もある。

An old British folk tale seeks to explain the Robin's distinctive breast. Legend has it that when Jesus was dying on the cross, the Robin, then simply brown in colour, flew to his side and sang into his ear in order to comfort him in his pain. The blood from his wounds stained the Robin's breast, and thereafter all Robins got the mark of Christ's blood upon them. The association with Christmas, however, more probably arises from the fact that postmen in Victorian Britain wore red uniforms and were nicknamed "Robin"; the Robin featured on the Christmas card is an emblem of the postman delivering the card.

In the 1960s in a highly publicised vote, the Robin was adopted as the national bird of the UK. Unlike other countries, official emblems such as flags and anthems become national by convention and usage (see Union Jack and God Save The Queen) rather than by vote in Parliament.

コマドリの鳴き声はこれです：http://otowa-wildbirds.life.coocan.jp/murorindou_komadori_060416.wav