Child's Ballads Week 12: England - Assignments - Reading - Resources - Images

Freed From the Gallows (Child 95) Listening time: (5 minutes)

AUDIO RECORDING

VERSE 1
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my Father coming
Away over yonder

VERSE 2
Father, O Father, have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 3
Son, O Son, I've not brought you gold
Nor have I paid your fee
But I have come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 4
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my Mother coming
Away over yonder

VERSE 5
Mother, O Mother, have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 6
Son, O Son, I've not brought you gold
Nor have I paid your fee
But I have come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 7
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my Sister coming
Away over yonder

VERSE 8
Sister, O Sister, have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 9
Brother, O Brother I've not brought you gold
Nor have I paid your fee
But I have come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 10
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my Brother coming
Away over yonder

VERSE 11
Brother, O Brother, have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 12
Brother, O Brother I've not brought you gold
Nor have I paid your fee
But I have come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 13
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my true love coming
Away over yonder

VERSE 14
True love, O true love have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree

VERSE 15
True love, O true love I brought you gold
An' I have paid your fee
I have not come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree

Questions. Make sure you can answer these questions about what you just read: who are the people who come to the hanging to watch, not to help? who comes to the rescue? sometimes this ballad is sung about a woman, sometimes about a man: is this version about a man or about a woman who is being hanged? Source: From The Max Hunter Folksong Archive (weblink) and Lesley Nelson's Child Ballad website (weblink). See also Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898). Weblink.