Appalachia, Collected by John Jacob Niles
The musical arrangement published by G. Schirmer is distributed by
Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Compare: Joseph Being An Aged Man and The Cherry Tree Carol – Part 1, Version 1
1. When Joseph was an olden man,
He lived full many a year, a year,
He courted and wedded the Queen of Heav'n,
And called her his dear.
2. Then Joseph was a carpenter,
And Mary baked and spun, and spun,
And when 'twas ripe-cherry time again
A family was begun.
3. Then Mary in her meekness,
Then Mary what was mile, so mild,
Said: "Cherries is the bestest thing,
For wimmen bearin' child."
4. Then up spake Joseph to Mary --
He was a man unkind, unkind --
"Oh, it's who has sired your baby
That's a-bothering' my mind.
5. "Go tell this one, and straight-away,
That cherries hain't nothing' to me, to me;
If he's e'er a man to sire a child,
He's a man to climb a tree."
6. Then Mary's Son, our Saviour,
He spake from Mary's heart, her heart:
"I'll make this tree bow low down,
I'll take my mammy's part."
7. Then the cherry-tree hit bow low down,
Hit bowed down to the ground, the ground,
And gentle Mary helped herself
To cherries without a sound.
8. Then Joseph said in terror:
"I see my wrong is great, is great,
Pray come, my gentle Queen of Heav'n,
The secret do relate."
9. Then said the Virgin Mary,
"The secret I will share, will share:
On Christmas Eve, in an ox's stall,
The Christ-Child I will bear.
According to Niles' notes, collected in Breathitt County, Kentucky, May, 1934.
Editor's Note: There are a large number of variations of this carol (or, properly speaking, this trio of carols). For a listing, see the C Index to 'The Hymns and Carols of Christmas."