Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, XII, 461;
taken from the mouth of a wandering gypsy girl in Berkshire.
| 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. |
