The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

1
    O Joseph was an old man,
      and an old man was he,
    And he married Mary,
      from the land of Galilee.

    2
    Oft after he married her,
      how warm he were abroad,
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    3
    Then Mary and Joseph
      walkd down to the gardens cool;
    Then Mary spied a cherry,
      as red as any blood.

    4
    'Brother Joseph, pluck the cherry,
      for I am with child:'
    'Let him pluck the cherry, Mary,
      as is father to the child.'

    5
    Then our blessed Saviour spoke,
      from his mother's womb:
    'Mary shall have cherries,
      and Joseph shall have none.'

    6
    From the high bough the cherry-tree
      bowd down to Mary's knee;
    Then Mary pluckt the cherry,
      by one, two, and three.

    7
    They went a little further,
      and heard a great din:
    'God bless our sweet Saviour,
      our heaven's love in.'

    8
    Our Saviour was not rocked
      in silver or in gold,
    But in a wooden cradle,
      like other babes all.

    9
    Our Saviour was not christend
      in white wine or red,
    But in some spring water,
      like other babes all.

       *       *       *       *       *

#A. b.#

        2.
          When Joseph and Mary
            walked in the garden good,
          There was cherries and berries,
            as red as the blood.

        3 _is wanting_.

        4^3. some cherries.

        5^2. so unkind.

        5^3. the cherries.

        6^{1,2}. bespoke Jesus in.

        6^4. that my mother may.

        7^{1,2}. tallest tree, it bent to Mary's.

        _After 8_:

          Then Joseph and Mary
            did to Bethlehem go,
          And with travels were weary,
            walking to and fro.

          They sought for a lodging,
            but the inns were filld all,
          They, alas! could not have it,
            but in an ox's stall.

          But before the next morning
            our Saviour was born,
          In the month of December,
            Christmas Day in the morn.

        9-12 _are wanting_.

#B. b.#

        2^2. and his cousin Mary got.

        2^4. by whom Joseph knew not.

        3^1. As Joseph.

        3^2. the garden.

        4^3. Gather me some.

        4^{5,6}.
          Gather me some cherries,
            for I am with child.

        5^1. O then bespoke.

        5^2. with words most.

          6.
          O then bespoke Jesus,
            all in his mother's womb:
          Go to the tree, Mary,
            and it shall bow down.

          7.
          Go to the tree, Mary,
            and it shall bow to thee,
          And the highest branch of all
            shall bow down to Mary's knee.

          And she shall gather cherries,
            by one, by two, by three:
          Now you may see, Joseph,
            those cherries were for me.

        13^3. with the spring.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

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