Hi Steve,

Long (1971, Maid and the Hangman) makes it clear that Baring-Gould created at least part of his prose with song version of 1866. What isn't clear is which part. I assume she meant the section in brackets (see: The Golden Ball; third post this thread) which Baring-Gould said was from a different informant.

The only other fairly recent study was by Coffin "The Golden Ball and the Hangman's Tree" which is from 1966.

Richie