The Cherry-Tree Carol facts for kids

"The Cherry-Tree Carol" (Roud 453) is a very old song. It is known as both a ballad and a Christmas carol. It is also one of the special Child Ballads (number 54). People have been singing this song for a long time. Some say it was sung as early as the 1400s.

The Story of the Carol

This song tells an old story about Mary and Joseph. They were traveling to Bethlehem for a census. A census is like a count of all the people.

Mary saw a cherry tree and asked Joseph to pick some cherries for her. She said she was expecting a baby. Joseph was not kind and told her to ask the baby's father to pick them instead.

Then, in most versions of the song, the baby Jesus speaks from inside Mary. He tells the cherry tree to bend down to Mary. The tree immediately lowers a branch. Joseph sees this amazing event. He quickly feels sorry for his harsh words.

Some newer versions of the song end here. Other versions include an angel appearing to Joseph. The angel tells him about Jesus's birth. Still other versions jump ahead many years. They show Jesus as a child, telling Mary about his future death and coming back to life.

Recordings of the Carol

Traditional Versions

Many people have recorded traditional versions of "The Cherry-Tree Carol." In the 1930s, James Madison Carpenter recorded an 80-year-old man named Henry Thomas. Henry sang a version from his great-grandmother. She lived in the 1700s. You can find this recording online.

Other traditional singers have also been recorded. These include Bob Arnold from England and Thomas Moran from Ireland. Alan Lomax recorded three versions in Kentucky in the late 1930s. One was from a singer named Aunt Molly Jackson.

Jean Ritchie, also from Kentucky, recorded two traditional versions. They had slightly different tunes. One of her versions became very popular. This was after Joan Baez recorded it.

Popular Versions

Joan Baez recorded her own version in 1961. She added guitar music to it. This helped make the song popular with many people.

Many other artists have recorded this carol. These include Shirley Collins, Judy Collins, José Feliciano, and Emmylou Harris. The King's College Choir has also recorded it. Even Sting recorded a version on his album If on a Winter's Night.

See also

• List of the Child Ballads