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The Cherry-Tree Carol

THE CHERRY-TREE CAROL—C

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Bramley and Stainer, Christmas Carols, p. 60.

1

Joseph was an old man,
an old man was he,
He married sweet Mary,
the Queen of Galilee.

2

As they went a walking
in the garden so gay,
Maid Mary spied cherries,
hanging over yon tree.

3

Mary said to Joseph,
with her sweet lips so mild,
4

‘Pluck those cherries, Joseph,
for to give to my child.’

4

O then replied Joseph,
with words so unkind,
‘I will pluck no cherries
for to give to thy child.’

5

Mary said to cherry-tree,
‘Bow down to my knee,
That I may pluck cherries,
by one, two, and three.’

6

The uppermost sprig then
bowed down to her knee:
‘Thus you may see, Joseph,
these cherries are for me.’

7

‘O eat your cherries, Mary,
O eat your cherries now,
O eat your cherries, Mary,
that grow upon the bough.’

8

As Joseph was a walking
he heard angels sing,
‘This night there shall be born
our heavenly king.

9

‘He neither shall be born
in house nor in hall,
Nor in the place of Paradise,
but in an ox-stall.

10

‘He shall not be clothed
in purple nor pall,
But all in fair linen,
as wear babies all.

11

‘He shall not be rocked
in silver nor gold,
But in a wooden cradle,
that rocks on the mould.

12

‘He neither shall be christened
in milk nor in wine,
But in pure spring-well water,
fresh sprung from Bethine.’

13

Mary took her baby,
she dressed him so sweet;
She laid him in a manger,
all there for to sleep.

14

As she stood over him
she heard angels sing,
‘Oh bless our dear Saviour,
our heavenly king.’
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