2. A carol, not usually sung at Christmas, involves a bridge of sunbeams and a beating. Where did it come from and where did the story originate?

Well, I've always heard that the Bitter Withy story, and related child Jesus tales, were to be found in the Pseudepigrapha, specifically in the so-called "infant gospels." I never found the story though, so I eagerly await the correct answer, page references please.

The "popular" versions seem to be collated from versions collected by C. Sharp.

I sing it at Christmas, so where does the "not usually sung at Christmas" come from? (Sharp got his two versions in September and April, but I don't think you can go by that).