1. The Cock fled up in the Yew Tree (I wish you a merry Christmas) – Collected from Stan and Gwen Partridge at Cinderford by Roy Palmer on 14 July 1994. The recording can be heard on the British Library Sound Archive site here. Or click to see Song Manuscript.
2. We Wish you a Merry Christmas Collected from Miss Jessie Howman (aged 72) at Stow-on-the-Wold by Roy Palmer on 11 August 1966. The recording can be heard on the British Library Sound Archive site here. Or click to see Song Manuscript
Contemporary version of the 2 versions by PuzzlejugContemporary recording of the 2 songs – Puzzlejug
These 2 short ditties are in fact versions of the same song, not the well-known ‘Figgy Pudding’ version, which appears to come from the West Country, but local Gloucestershire variants. The song was usually sung by children when carol singing. A similar version to the Partridges’ used to be sung by Gloucestershire gypsies.
Note by Gwilym Davies November 2011