A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/The Prickly Bush

by Sabine Baring-Gould

V. THE PRICKLY BUSH

 

'O hangman! hangman, hold thy hand,
And hold thy hand a while.
For I can see my bonny father
A-coming across yon stile.

'O father, hast brought my golden ball,
And come to set me free?
Or hast thou come to see me hung
All on this gallows tree.'

'I have not brought thy golden ball,
Nor come to set thee free.
But I am come to see thee hung
All on this gallows tree.'

'Oh! the prickly bush! the prickly bush,
It pricketh my heart full sore!
If ever that I get out of the bush,
I'll never get in no more.'

'O mother, hast brought?' etc.

[This is repeated several times. The mother is asked, and replies that she has not brought the golden ball, then the brother, next the sister. Finally the sweetheart is asked, and answers:—]

'Yes, I have brought thy golden ball,
And am come to set thee free.
I am not come to see thee hung
All on this gallows tree.

'Oh! the prickly bush! the prickly bush,
It pricked my heart full sore!
And now that I'm out o' the prickly bush,
I'll never get in no more.'