Thorn Rosa
(source: "Sing A Song For Sixes", Girl Guides of Canada, 1975)

(can also be sung to the tune of "Yogi Bear")

Wow! Many thanks to Christine St. John for submitting this game to the Guide Mailing List!

This game can be played with or without props (ie. a princess hat, a hobby horse for the prince and a witches hat), and has only three acting parts so it doesn't need a large group:

(all non-actors form a circle, hands joined - princess in middle, witch and prince standing off outside circle)

(circle swings arms while singing: )
Thorn Rosa was a princess fair, a princess fair, a princess fair,
Thorn Rosa was a princess fair,
Long, Long Ago

(circle raises hands, a little higher with each "castle high" to form towers)
She lived up in a castle high, a castle high, a castle high,
She lived up in a castle high,
Long, Long Ago

(the witch enters the circle under the arms, makes motions as if casting a spell)
A wicked witch put a spell on her, a spell on her, a spell on her,
A wicked witch put a spell on her,
Long, Long Ago

(the princess lies down and pretends to sleep)
The princess slept for a hundred years, a hundred years, a hundred years,
The princess slept for a hundred years,
Long, Long Ago

(circle raises hands, a little higher on each "oh so high" to form hedge)
The briar hedge grew oh so high, oh so high, oh so high,
The briar hedge grew oh so high,
Long, Long Ago

(prince motions as if chopping hedge with a sword, enters the circle)
A handsome prince came riding by, riding by, riding by,
A handsome prince came riding by,
Long, Long Ago

(the prince touches the princess, she awakes and rises)
The princess wakened at his touch, at his touch, at his touch,
The princess wakened at his touch,
Long, Long Ago

(prince and princess "climb" on a horse and ride away)
The prince and princess rode away, rode away, rode away,
The prince and princess rode away,
Long, Long Ago


Thorn Ross

Thanks very much to Shelagh Walsh, who wrote this "altered" version of the Thorn Rosa song. She felt that the original song might re-enforce stereotypes associated with the female/male roles. Shelagh posted her new version to the Guiding Mailing List.

Thorn Ross he was a handsome Prince,
Handsome Prince, handsome Prince.
Thorn Ross he was a handsome Prince,
Long, long, ago.

He lived up in a castle high,
Castle high, castle high.
He lived up in a castle high,
Long, long, ago.

A wicked witch put a spell on him,
Spell on him, spell on him.
A wicked witch put a spell on him,
Long, long, ago.

Thorn Ross he slept a hundred years,
Hundred years, hundred years.
Thorn Ross he slept a hundred years,
Long, long ago.

The briar hedge grew oh, so high,
Oh so high, oh so high.
The briar hedge grew oh, so high,
Long, long ago.

A Princess fair came riding by,
Riding by, riding by.
A Princess fair came riding by,
Long, long ago.

The Prince he wakened at her touch,
At her touch, at her touch.
The Prince he wakened at her touch,
Long, long ago.

The Prince & Princess rode away,
Rode away, rode away.
The Prince & Princess rode away,
Long, long ago.