Joseph was an old man and an old man was he,
|
and he has married Mary, the queen of Galilee,
|
and he has married Mary, the queen of Galilee
|
|
As Joseph and Mary walked in the garden green,
|
where the cherries hung heavy on every limb
|
|
"Pick me some cherries, Joseph,
|
pick me some cherries, do,
|
pick me some cherries, Joseph,
|
that grow on the bough"
|
|
But up spoke old Joseph with his words so unkind:
|
"Let the man gather the cherries that owneth the child"
|
|
Then up spoke our Saviour all in his mother's womb:
|
"Bow down, thou lofty cherry tree, that Mary may have some"
|
The very top branches bowed down to her feet
|
"Now you can see, Joseph, there are cherries for me"
|
|
As Joseph was walking he heard an angel sing
|
"This night shall be the birth time of Christ, the heavenly King
|
|
He neither shall be born in house nor in hall
|
nor in the place of paradise but in an ox's stall
|
He neither shall be clothed in purple nor in pall
|
but in the fair white linen that's used in babies all
|
He neither shall be rocked in silver nor in gold
|
but in a wooden manger that resteth on the mould
|
|
-----------------
|
The Cherry Tree Carol
|
| Iris Dement |
