K
‘The Prickly Bush,’ Mr Heywood Sumner, in English County Songs, by Lucy E. Broadwood and J. A. Fuller Maitland, p. 112. From Somersetshire.
1
‘O hangman, hold thy hand,’ he cried,
‘O hold thy hand awhile,
For I can see my own dear father
Coming over yonder stile.
2
‘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?’
3
‘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.’
4
‘Oh, the prickly bush, the prickly bush,
It pricked my heart full sore;
If ever I get out of the prickly bush,
I’ll never get in any more.’
The above is repeated three times more, with the successive substitution of ‘mother,’ ‘brother,’ ‘sister,’ for ‘father.’ Then the first two stanzas are repeated, with ‘sweetheart’ for ‘father,’ and instead of 3 is sung:
5
‘Yes, I have brought thee gold,’ she cried,
‘And I will set thee free,
And I am come, but not to see thee hung
All on this high gallous-tree.’
‘Oh, the prickly bush,’ etc.
In this version, a man is expressly delivered by a maid, contrary to the general course of tradition. So apparently in J, IV, 481, as understood by Dr. Birkbeck Hill.
96. The Gay Goshawk.
P. 355. M. G. Lewis, in a letter of May 29, 1800 (Letters at Abbotsford, I, No 30), refers to a copy of this ballad (and one of ‘Brown Adam’) which he had furnished Scott. This might perhaps be the “MS. of some antiquity” (printed, IV, 482).
As to the bird’s part in this ballad, compare the following passage. A son, in prison, sending a letter to his mother by a bird, gives this charge:
Quando giugnerete alla porta mia,
Là sta un ulivo.
Posati su quell’ ulivo,
V’agita e dibatti l’ali,
Ché di te caderà il foglio di carta.
De Rada, Rapsodie d’un poema Albanese, I, canto xvi, p. 29.
P. 356 a, III, 517 a, IV, 482 a. French. Add: ‘La belle qui fait la morte,’ ‘La fille du duc de Montbrison,’ Pineau, Le Folk-Lore du Poitou, p. 311, p. 389 (each, six stanzas); ‘La belle dans la tour,’ six copies (besides Belle Idoine repeated), M. Wilmotte in Bulletin de Folklore, Société du Folklore Wallon, 1893, p. 35.
356 b, 3d paragraph, III, 517 a. Add: A copy of ‘Les trois capitaines,’ in Mélusine, VI, 52, 183; Wallonia, I, 38; “Fréd. Thomas, La Mosäique du Midi, V, 1841; C. Beauquier, Mém. de la Soc. d’Émulation du Doubs, 1890,” Mélusine, VI, 220, where also a Catalan version, which had escaped my notice, Milà y Fontanals, Romancerillo, p. 259, No 264, is registered by M. Doncieux. A Breton version, Mélusine, VI, 182.
99. Johnie Scot.
P. 379. A. Considering that Sir Walter Scott professes to have derived some variations from recitation in the south of Scotland (see the note, IV, 387), the copy in “Scottish Songs” may be fully collated, small as will be the value of the result.
‘John the Little Scott,’ fol. 24.
1
John the Scot was as brave a knight
As ever shook a speir,
And he is up to fair England,
The king’s braid banner to bear.
2
And while he was in fair England,
Sae fair his hap did prove
That of the king’s ae daughter dear
He wan the heart and love.
3
But word is gane to the English king,
And an angry man was he,
And he has sworn by salt and bread
They should it dear abye.
4 wanting.
51. Then Johny’s gane.
52,4. I wot.
53. the English.
63,4.
To hear some news from his true love,
Least she had sufferd wrang.
72. That will win hose and shoon.
73. will gang into.
81. Then up there.
9 wanting.
103. to grass growing.
111. And when: to the king’s castle.
113. saw that fair ladye.
122, 132. ain sel.
124. And speer na your father’s.
131. Here take.
133. to feir Scotland.
134. Your true love waits.
141. The ladie turned her round about.
144. Unless.
152. In prison pinching cold.
153. My garters are of.
154. the silk and gold.
163. And hie thee back to yon Scottish knight.
171. quickly sped.
181. He told him then that ladie’s words.
182. He told him.
183,4.
But ere the tale was half said out
Sae loudly to horse he did ca.
194. That should have been my bride.
201. And spak his mither dear.
203. For gin you’re taen.
204. ye’ll.
211. and spak.
212. And Johny’s true.
214. And his surety I will.
22.
Then when they cam to English ground
They gard the mass be sung,
And the firsten town that they cam to
They gard the bells be rung.
231. And the nextin: cam to.
234. Were.
241. And when: the high castle.
242. rode.
253. Or is it.
261. I’m not.
262. James our.
263. But Johny Scot, the little Scot.
271. is thy name.
273. eer.
281. and spak the gallant.
283. hundred.
284. That will die or.
291. and spak.
292. And sae scornfully leugh he.
293. my bower.
301. boon, said the little Scot.
302. Bring forth your.
303. falls.
304. I hae.
31
Out then cam that Italian knight,
A griesly sight to see;
Between his een there was a span,
Between his shoulders three and three.
And forth then came brave John the Scot,
He scarcely reachd his knee,
Yet on the point of Johny’s brand
The Italian knight did die.
32
And syne has he waved his bludie glaive,
And slait it on the plain;
‘Are there any more Italian dogs
That you wish to be slain?’
33
‘A clerk, a clerk,’ the king he cried,
‘To register this deed;’
‘A priest, a priest,’ Pitnochtan cried,
‘To marry us wi speed.’
34 wanting.
384. A copy of D was sent by Motherwell to C. K. Sharpe with a letter of December 6, 1824, in which many of the variations of b were introduced into a.
101. Willie o Douglas Dale.
P. 407. A. Collated with the copy in the Abbotsford MS. “Scottish Songs,” as to which see the note at IV, 387.@
‘Willie of Douglas-dale,’ fol. 16.
11, was a gallant squire.
21. the English court.
23. When.
24. But her he neer could.
31. once.
32. the wanting.
34. By the ae.
41. louted low.
42. His cap low in his.
43. I greet ye well, ye gentle knight.
44. your cap.
51. knight, fair dame.
52. Nor eer can hope.
53. am but a humble squire.
54. That serves.
61. Gae.
62. baith night.
63. tempting written before face and struck out.
64. ever I.
7 wanting.
82. He watchd that ladye’s.
83. passd the twa between.
91. O narrow is my gown, Willy.
93. And short are my petticoats.
94. sae wide.
96. is laid.
101. gin my father get wit.
102. never eat.
103,5. get wit.
104. gae.
106. Ah, Willy, you’ll.
111. O gin ye’ll.
112. gang.
113. into.
12 wanting.
141. day was come.
142. den.
143. That gentle ladye.
144. While the.
153,4,
Or lack ye ony tender love
That may assuage your pain.
161. wan na.
162. for my.
163. And alas, alas.
171. He’s felld the thorn in.
172. And blawn it to a flame.
173. He’s strewd it.
174. To cheer that lovely dame.
181. He’s: in gude.
182. And laid the fair ladye.
183. he’s happed her oer wi withered.
184. his coat and goun.
19 wanting.
201. branch red.
202. grew in gude grene wood.
203. And brought her a draught.
204. I wot they did her good.
21-23 wanting.
241. to shoot.
242. has he wanting.
25 (after 30).
261,2.
Syne has he sought the forest through,
Sum woman’s help to gain.
263. he came to a bonny.
271. O will ye leave the sheep, he says.
272. And come.
273. ye.
274. give.
282. She fell down.
283. fair dame.
284. For a.
292. but wanting.
293. ye: flocks.
294. And gang to fair.
303. for you.
304. marry wanting: Scottish man.
After 30 (see 25):
O taen has she the bonny knave-boy
And washd him in the milke,
And she has tended the sick lady,
And rowd her in the silk.
311. maid.
313. took to fair.
321. an wanting.
323. they gat safe.
324. Himself was lord therein.
411. From “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 33, ‘Willie of Duglass Daill.’ The Dame Oliphant of the other versions is somewhat disguised in the old lady’s writing as Demelefond, Demelofen, etc.