The Hangman's Tree- Backus (NC) pre1898 Child
[No informant named. From: The English and Scottish popular ballads: Volume 5, Part 2 - Page 296; Additions and Corrections; Francis James Child, George Lyman Kittredge - 1898. Child's notes follow. Reprinted with music by Reed Smith, 1928.
Despite Backus' claim, the pre-1776 date may be exaggerated.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
The following copy was communicated by Mr. W.W. Newell, as derived from Miss Emma M. Backus, North Carolina, who says: "This is an old English song in the Yorkshire dialect, which was brought over to Virginia before the Revolution. It has not been written for generations, for none of the family have been able to read or write." Miss Backus adds that the pronunciation indicated is by no means that which is ordinarily used by the people who sing this ballad. It will, however, be noted that the Yorkshire dialect is not well preserved.
The Hangman's Tree
1 'Hangman, hangman, howd yo hand,
O howd it wide and far!
For theer I see my feyther coomin,
Riding through the air.
2 'Feyther, feyther, ha yo brot me goold?
Ha yo paid my fee?
Or ha yo coom to see me hung,
Beneath tha hangman's tree?'
3 'I ha naw brot yo goold,
I ha naw paid yo fee,
But I ha coom to see yo hung
Beneath tha hangman's tree.'
4 'Hangman, hangman, howd yo hand,
O howd it wide and far!
For theer I see my meyther coomin,
Riding through the air.
5 'Meyther, meyther, ha yo brot me goold?
Ha yo paid my fee?
Or ha yo coom to see me hung,
Beneath tha hangman's tree?'
6 'I ha naw brot yo goold,
I ha naw paid yo fee,
But I ha coom to see yo hung
Beneath tha hangman's tree.'
7 'Hangman, hangman, howd yo hand,
O howd it wide and far!
For theer I see my sister coomin,
Riding through the air.
8 'Sister, sister, ha yo brot me goold?
Ha yo paid my fee?
Or ha yo coom to see me hung,
Beneath tha hangman's tree?'
9 'I ha naw brot yo goold,
I ha naw paid yo fee,
But I ha coom to see yo hung
Beneath tha hangman's tree.'
10 'Hangman, hangman, howd yo hand,
O howd it wide and far!
For theer I see my sweetheart coomin,
Riding through the air.
11 'Sweetheart, sweetheart, ha yo brot me goold?
Ha yo paid my fee?
Or ha yo coom to see me hung,
Beneath tha hangman's tree?'
12 Oh I ha brot yo goold,
And I ha paid yo fee,
And I ha coom to take yo froom
Beneath tha hangman's tree.'