Curiosities of Olden Times
wailing off, and forgot t' ball, and let it lig there, under t' bed; and the lad took it and went to seek his true love.[1]]
"Now t' lass was taken to York to be hanged; she was brought out on t' scaffold, and t' hangman said, 'Now, lass, tha' must hang by thy neck till tha' be'st dead.' But she cried out:
'Stop, stop, I think I see my mother coming!
O mother! hast brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?'
'I've neither brought thy golden ball
Nor come to set thee free,
But I have come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows tree.'
"Then the hangman said, 'Now, lass, say thy prayers, for tha' must dee.' But she said:
'Stop, stop, I think I see my father coming!
O father! hast brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?'
'I've neither brought thy golden ball
Nor come to set thee free,
But I have come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows tree.'
"Then the hangman said, 'Hast thee done thy prayers? Now, lass, put thy head into t' noose.'
"But she answered, 'Stop, stop, I think I see my brother coming,' etc. After which she excused her-
- ↑ The portion within brackets I got from a different informant. The first version was incomplete; the girls had forgotten how the ball was recovered. They forgot also what happened with the second ball.
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