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Title
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Prickly bush
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Singer
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Little, Robert
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Notes
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Note 1
Williams, Alfred: WGS: 'The 'Prickly bush' exists in two versions. The complete copy printed below I obtained of Mr Robert Little, of South Marston, Wiltshire. As an instance of how one might miss a good song I would mention this fact. I have lived next door to Mr Little for over twenty five years and know him for one of the most shy and quiet men it would be possible to meet with, and the last in the village one would expect to be possessed of a folk song. A relative of his recently told me that he knew an old piece, however, and I soon had the pleasure of obtaining it. Since then I find that the song was a favourite of the gipsies who camped in Marston Lane when I was a boy. The principal gipsy, whose name was Archelaus, had three sons, namely Zephyrus, Adolphus and Job. They all slept together in a little twig tent, and lived chiefly on hedgehogs. The old man played the fiddle and sang at fairs. On making further inquiries I found a second version of the song, the first verse and chorus of which I give, indicating the order and the lines of the verses to the end. [the Bampton version]'
Williams, Alfred: FSUT: 'The 'Prickly bush' exists in two versions. The complete copy printed I obtained of Mr Robert Little, of South Marston, Wiltshire. The song was a favourite of the gipsies who camped in Marston Lane when I was a boy. The principal gipsy, whose name was Archelaus, had three sons, namely Zephyrus, Adolphus and Job. They all slept together in a little twig tent, and lively chiefly on hedgehogs. The old man played the fiddle and sang at fairs.'
Note 2
There is a note in the file stating that the manuscript is missing.
Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2010.
