Joseph Was An Old Man- Brixey (OK) 1945 Moore B
[From Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest, by the Moores; 1964. As sung by Elsie Brixey-- I'm dating this 1945 which about the time her husband died.
The Moores notes follow:
R. Matteson 2014]
16 The Cherry-Tree Carol
The Cherry-Tree Carol (Child, No. 54) comes from an account recorded in the Pseudo-Matthew's Gospel, chap. xx. Reviewed by Child (II, 1), the story runs thus: "on the third day of the flight into Egypt, Mary, feeling the heat to be oppressive, tells Joseph that she will rest for a while under a palm-tree, and seeing it full of fruit, asks for some. Joseph somewhat testily expresses his surprise that she should think of such a thing, considering the height of the tree: he is much more concerned to get a supply of water. Then Jesus, sitting on his mother's lap, bids the palm to bow down and refresh his mother with its fruit."
B. Joseph was an old Man, sung by Mrs. Clyde Brixey of Glenpool.
Joseph was an old man,
An old man was he.
He loved sweet little Mary,
The queen of Galilee.
Joseph and Mary walked
Through the orchard green,
Where there were berries and cherries;
A-plenty were seen.
Out then spoke Mary,
So meek and so mild,
"Joseph, gather me cherries;
They run so in my mind."
Said Joseph to Mary,
So stubborn and unkind,
"Let the man gather you cherries
Who got you with child."
Out then spoke our Savior,
In his mother's womb,
"Bow down, good cherries,
Till my mother gather you."
The topmost branches
Bowed down so low;
Mary picked cherries,
Till her lap overflowed.
Then Mary plucked a cherry
As red as the blood,
And journeyed to Bethlehem
With her heavy load.
Then Mary took the babe
And set him on her knee,
Saying, "Tell me, my son,
What this word[1] shall be."
"Oh, I shall be dead, Mother,
As the stones in the wall;
On Easter Day, Mother,
Will be my downfall."
1. world