Upon the gallows tree

What do you call it when a novel has a quotation at the beginning of a chapter? Anyway, here is one from "The Corn King & the Spring Queen". I did a bit of googling, and as I suspected it is from a traditional English folk-song, found in various versions including one by Steeleye Span. I also got my colleague U to translate one of the upcoming chapter quotes from German and that sounds even more ominous, so I'm not expecting a happy ending! I have read this book before, but so long ago that all I remembered was that it was extremely good.

O the bush, the briery bush,
It pricks my heart full sore.
If once I get out of the briery bush
I'll never get in any more.

O sweetheart, have you brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hung
Upon the gallows tree?

The Mystery of the Missing Winter Clothes

What is it with gloves and hats? I think they sneak off to another planet when my back is turned, like biros do.

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