ONE of the most frequent questions asked by small children at this time of year is why they are expected to sing songs about gathering nuts in May.

Some parents are astute enough to realise that hazel nuts do not ripen during the month of May – that feat of nature does not occur until the autumn.

The full version of the modern rhyme is: Here we go gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May; here we go gathering nuts in May on a cold and frosty morning.

The truth is that those words are not accurate – the word nuts should really be knots and so the song concerns itself with youngsters gathering knots of May on a cold and frosty morning. The words should reflect the gathering of knots of May, not nuts in May.

This song can be traced to medieval times or even earlier when the gathering of may flowers was a widespread practice on May Day.

The flowers in question are the white blossoms of the hawthorn tree or hawthorn hedge, and in some areas they were called may or sometimes quickthorn. It does seem rather risky to gather knots (bunches) of these flowers due to the fiercely- sharp spines on the branches.

The reason why children would go out to gather knots of May blossom, probably on May Day, is rather obscure, but it seems to be associated with ancient pagan rituals that were designed to greet the new summer.

At that time, and well into the 18th century, Pope Gregory’s calendar changes had not been adopted by England and so summer weather could materialise during May which is probably when the blooms were collected for rural celebrations.

Due to the calendar changes, the blossoming of the may can occur earlier as we know from the appearance of our own hedgerows and hawthorn trees, and so, in time, it made sense to gather these blooms on May Day.

So what did the children do with the may blossom they had gathered?

The answer to that would probably depend upon where one lived, and when one lived. The pagans thought the hawthorn protected them against thunderstorms, lightning strikes and other dangers such as being bewitched by evil fairies or becoming ill. By bringing the knots of may into the house, therefore, they were protecting both the house and its occupants with oceans of good fortune.

For that reason, it was always considered unlucky to cut down a hawthorn bush – it was a lucky plant.

However, by the 18th century, it was considered bad luck to bring hawthorn blossom into the house.

Children were strictly forbidden to bring it indoors because it was feared it would make the occupants ill or even make them liable to die.

Some experts believe this ban on hawthorn was due more to its strong and rather unpleasant smell than to any misfortunes it might produce.

Folklore experts of times past can relate stories of country folk ignoring the ill-omens of hawthorn, only to fall ill or die. One story concerns a man who was advised not to cut down his hawthorn bush due to the ill omens it would produce, but he ignored them and set about felling the tree.

One of the thorns penetrated his hand and created an infection from which he later died of blood poisoning.

The old greybeards of that village would undoubtedly shake their heads and say “We told him so!”

Another one ignored similar advice and then his children became ill and died, then his cattle followed and finally he lost his memory and was evicted from his farm – and it was said that that bad luck also befell the tenant farmer who replaced him.

Much of the aura that surrounds the hawthorn is probably due partly to its pagan associations with good fortune and health, but it also features in Christian lore. When Christ died on Good Friday, it is said that his tomb was attended by Joseph of Arimathea.

There is an enduring tale that Joseph came to Glastonbury in Somerset on some kind of pilgrimage to this well-known holy place.

While there, he planted his staff in the ground and it sprouted to produce the famous Holy Thorn of Glastonbury which blooms at midnight on Christmas Eve.

That particular type of hawthorn – biflora – can still be found in that area.

However, bearing in mind the calendar changes of 1752, it appears that this famous flowering occurs nearer to January 5 (Old Christmas Eve) instead of December 31.

There is a story about a Puritan attempting to bring a halt to such beliefs by chopping down the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury, but the local people were cute enough to anticipate his actions and took cuttings which they could plant well away from his attention.

They flourished and can still be in around Glastonbury – or so the story goes!