May 27. Story of the Day: Tree in the Wood

This version of the song comes from A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes by Sabine Baring-Gould, who was a major figure in 19th-century folklore; you can read about him at Wikipedia. There is also an article about this song: The Green Grass Grew All Around.

This is Roud 129.

I'm including this recording by Louis Jordan (which adds verses about dirt and roots at the beginning!), and you will find lots of other versions at YouTube. The version below is a little bit different: not only is it a cumulative song, but it is also an endless circle, starting at the tree, and then ending with the tree (most versions of the song stop when they get to the verses about the bird). So, even if you know this song, take a look at how this one goes at the end: it's really nice!

Want more? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE TREE IN THE WOOD


(Louis Jordan and his Tympany Band)

All in a wood there grew a fine tree,
The finest tree that ever you did see,
And the green grass grew around, around, around,
And the green grass grew around.

And on this tree
there grew a fine bough,
The finest bough that ever you did see,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And on this bough
there a fine twig,
The finest twig that ever you did see,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And on this twig
there stood a fine nest,
The finest nest that ever you did see,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And in this nest
there sat a fine bird,
The finest bird that ever you did see,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And on this bird
there grew a fine feather,
The finest feather that ever you did see,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And of this feather
was made a fine bed,
The finest bed that ever you did see,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And on this bed
was laid a fine mother,
The finest mother that ever you did see,
and the mother on the bed,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

In the arms of this mother
was laid a fine babe,
The finest babe that ever you did see,
and the babe from the mother,
and the mother on the bed,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And the babe he grew up
and became a fine boy,
The finest boy that ever you did see,
and the grown-up boy,
and the babe from the mother,
and the mother on the bed,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And boy put an acorn all into the earth,
The finest acorn that ever you did see,
and the acorn in the earth,
and the grown-up boy,
and the babe from the mother,
and the mother on the bed,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

And out of this acorn,
there grew a fine tree,
the finest tree you ever did see,
and the tree from the acorn,
and the acorn in the earth,
and the grown-up boy,
and the babe from the mother,
and the mother on the bed,
and the bed of feather,
and the feather on the bird,
and the bird in the nest,
and the nest on the twig,
and the twig on the bough,
and the bough on the tree,
and the tree in the wood,
and the green leaves flourished
thereon thereon thereon,
and the green leaves flourished thereon.

(Child Development Institute)

CHAIN: wood - tree - bough - twig - nest - bird - feather - bed - mother - babe - boy - acorn - earth - tree