Hangman, hangman, slack your rope,

voiceCollected by Edwin R. Bethune For Mary C. Parler Transcribed by Frances Majors Sung by Mrs. Pearl Brewer Pocahontas, Arkansas August 1, 1958 Reel 261, Item 4 Hangman, Hangman (Child 9 5 ) Hangman, hangman, slack your rope, And slack it for a while. I see my mother, she has come; She's rode for many a mile. Oh, Mother, Mother, have you brought me gold And come to set me free? Or have you come to see me hang All under the hangman's tree? I've neither brought you gold, Nor come to set you free, Though I have come to see you hang All under the hangman's tree. Hangman, hangman, slcak your rope, And slack it for a while. I see my father, he has come; He's rode for many a mile. Oh, Father, Father, have you brought me gold And come to set me free? Or have you come to see me hang All under the hangman's tree? I've neither brought you gold, Nor come to set you free, Though I have come to see you hang All under the hangman's tree. Hangman, hangman, slack your rope, And slack it for a while. I see my sister, she has come; She's rode for many a mile. Oh, Sister, have you brought me gold And come to set me free? Or have you come to see me hang All under the hangman's tree? Hangman, Hangman (Cont'd) Reel 261, Item 4 (Cont'd) I've neither brought you gold, Nor come to set you free, Though I have come to see you hang All under the hangman's tree. Hangman, hangman, slack your rope, And slack it for a while. I see my sweetheart, she has come; She's rode for many a mile. Oh, Sweetheart, have you brought me gold And come to set me free? Or have you come to see me hang All under the hangman's tree? Oh, yes, I've brought you gold, And come to set you free. How could I stand to see you hang All under the hangman's tree?Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation