I had a little nut-tree (Jennifer Bastable)

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• (Posted 2025-11-06)  CPDL #87319:       

Editor: Jennifer Bastable (submitted 2025-11-06).   Score information: Letter, 7 pages, 459 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: I had a little nut-tree
Composer: Jennifer Bastable
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published:
Description: A setting for four voices of the text of the traditional rhyme.

Original text and translations

English text

I had a little nut-tree,
And nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg
And a golden pear.
The King of Spain's daughter
She came to visit me,
And all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.

I skipped o'er water,
I danced o'er the sea,
And all the birds of the air
Couldn't catch me.

Her dress was silk of crimson,
And jet-black was her hair.
She asked me for my nutmeg;
She asked me for my pear.
I said, So fair a maiden
I never yet did see,
I'll give you all the fruit
Of my little nut-tree.

I skipped o'er water,
I danced o'er the sea,
And all the birds of the air
Couldn't catch me.