The Tree in the Wood
There was a tree stood in the ground,
the prettiest tree you ever did see;
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground . . .
And the green grass growing all around, all around,
And the green grass growing all around.
And on this tree there was a limb,
the prettiest limb you ever did see;
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground . . .
And the green grass growing all around, all around,
And the green grass growing all around.
And on this limb there was a bough,
the prettiest bough you ever did see;
The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground . . .
And the green grass growing all around, all around,
And the green grass growing all around.
And on this bough there was a nest,
the prettiest nest you ever did see;
The nest on the bough, and the bough on the limb,
The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground . . .
And the green grass growing all around, all around,
And the green grass growing all around.
And in the nest there were some eggs,
the prettiest eggs you ever did see;
Eggs in the nest, and the nest on the bough,
The nest on the bough, and the bough on the limb,
The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground . . .
And the green grass growing all around, all around,
And the green grass growing all around.
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From a version entitled “The Green Grass Growing All Around” in Adventure Awaits, Editors: W. John McIntosh, Jessie W. Shular, 1967 (a book in the series: The Canadian Ginn Basic Readers).
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Feel free to have fun with a folk verse — tweak the words / add new stanzas as you go along — to make it suit your immediate situation and mood. For example, “. . . And cicadas buzzing / the ‘skeeters whining / the junebugs zooming all around us”. The possibilities truly are just about endless. After you’re comfortable with the rhythm of the piece, the beginning of a melody to suit the words may take form in your ear, and that’s great, as it’s a real pleasure to chant / sing a poem of this sort, especially in a group with children.
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