"O hangman, hold thy hand", he cried,
"O hold thy hand awhile;
For I can see my own dear father
Coming over yonder stile.
"O father, have you brought me gold?
Or will you set me free?
Or be you come to see me hung,
All on this high gallows tree?"
"No, I have not brought thee gold,
And I will not set thee free;
But I am come to see thee hung,
All on this high gallows tree."
Chorus: O the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I'll never get in any more."
"O hangman, hold thy hand", he cried,
"O hold thy hand awhile;
For I can see my own dear mother
Coming over yonder stile.
"O mother, have you brought me gold?
Or will you set me free?
Or be you come to see me hung,
All on this high gallows tree?"
"No, I have not brought thee gold,
And I will not set thee free;
But I am come to see thee hung,
All on this high gallows tree."
Chorus: O the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I'll never get in any more."
"O hangman, hold thy hand", he cried,
"O hold thy hand awhile;
For I can see my own dear brother
Coming over yonder stile.
"O brother, have you brought me gold?
Or will you set me free?
Or be you come to see me hung,
All on this high gallows tree?"
"No, I have not brought thee gold,
And I will not set thee free;
But I am come to see thee hung,
All on this high gallows tree."
Chorus: O the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I'll never get in any more."
"O hangman, hold thy hand", he cried,
"O hold thy hand awhile;
For I can see my own dear sister
Coming over yonder stile.
"O sister, have you brought me gold?
Or will you set me free?
Or be you come to see me hung,
All on this high gallows tree?"
"No, I have not brought thee gold,
And I will not set thee free;
But I am come to see thee hung,
All on this high gallows tree."
Chorus: O the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I'll never get in any more."
"O hangman, hold thy hand", he cried,
"O hold thy hand awhile;
For I can see my own dear sweetheart
Coming over yonder stile.
"O sweetheart, have you brought me gold?
Or will you set me free?
Or be you come to see me hung,
All on this high gallows tree?"
"Yes, I have brought thee gold,
And I will set thee free;
And I am come, but not to see thee hung,
All on this high gallows tree."
Chorus: O the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricks my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I'll never get in any more."
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Source: Broadwood, Lucy, 1893, English Country Songs, Leadenhall Press, London
Notes:
Lucy Broadwood wrote:
The words and the tune as they stand here, are given by Mr Heywood Sumner, and properly belong to Somersetshire ... For other versions of this song, see Child's Ballads.
Roud: 144 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: 95