綠色, 黃色 Green and yellow

When I was little, my aunt taught me a charming Brownie song. It was called Green and Yellow:

Where have you been all day, Henry my son?

Where have you been all day, my beloved one?

Woods, dear mother, 

Woods, dear mother,

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die.

What did you do in those woods, Henry my son?

What did you do in those woods, my beloved one?

Ate, dear mother, 

Ate, dear mother,

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die.

What did you eat in those woods, Henry my son?

What did you eat in those woods, my beloved one?

Eels, dear mother, 

Eels, dear mother,

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die.

What colour where those eels, Henry my son?

What colour where those eels, my beloved one?

Green and yellow! 

Green and yellow!

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die.

Those eels where snakes I think, Henry my son.

Those eels where snakes I think, my beloved one.

Oops, dear mother,

Oops, dear mother,

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die.

Where shall we bury you, Henry my son?

Where shall we bury you, my beloved one?

Woods, dear mother, 

Woods, dear mother,

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel very sick and I want to lay down and die.

What colour flowers d'you want, Henry my son?

What colour flowers d'you want, my beloved one?

Green and yellow! 

Green and yellow!

Oh mother come quick 'cos I feel so sick and I want to lay down and die. EURK!

Maybe the unfortunate subject of the song ended up somewhere blue.

Photographs © Emilie Pavey