The Cherry Tree Carol -- Traditional

Guest poem sent in by Vivian

(Poem #1578) The Cherry Tree Carol When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he, He married Virgin Mary, the queen of Galilee, He married Virgin Mary, the queen of Galilee. Joseph and Mary walked through an orchard green, There were berries and cherries as thick as might be seen There were berries and cherries as thick as might be seen And Mary spoke to Joseph, so meek and so mild, "Joseph gather me some cherries, for I am with child, Joseph gather me some cherries, for I am with child." And Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he, "Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee, Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee." Then up spoke baby Jesus from in Mary's womb, "Bend down the tallest tree that my mother might have some, Bend down the tallest tree that my mother might have some." And bent down the tallest branch, till it touched Mary's hand, Cried she, "Oh look thou Joseph I have cherries by command," Cried she, "Oh look thou Joseph I have cherries by command." -- Traditional

   (English folk ballad)

One needn't be Christian to love this -- I love it because of the human
immediacy of a miracle in the prosaic setting of an uncomfortable journey
and because of the speaking parts for the exasperated Joseph, for the
pregnant Mary with her craving for fruit and for the unborn but imperious
baby Jesus. It derives from the Pseudo-Matthew gospel, and in medieval times
was dramatized in folk plays and mystery pageants. From "British Ballads and
Folk Songs from the Joan Baez  Songbook." Baez sings it on  the disc "Joan
Baez, Volume 2," and the melody is haunting.

- Vivian Eden