I sing of a maiden
That is makeles:
King of all kings
To her son she ches.

He came al so stille
There his moder was,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the grass.

He came al so stille
To his moder's bour,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the flour.

Moder and maiden
Was never none but she:
Well may such a lady
Goddes moder be.

Joseph was an old man,
An old man was he:
He married sweet Mary,
The Queen of Galilee.

As they went a walking
In the garden so gay,
Maid Mary spied cherries,
Hanging over yon tree.

Mary said to Joseph
With her sweet lips so mild,
"Pluck those cherries, Joseph,
For to give to my Child."

"O then," replied Joseph
With words so unkind,
"I will pluck no cherries
For to give to thy Child."

Mary said to cherry tree,
"Bow down to my knee,
That I may pluck cherries
By one, two, and three."

The uppermost sprig then
Bowed down to her knee:
"Thus you may see, Joseph,
These cherries are for me."

"O eat your cherries, Mary,
O eat your cherries now,
O eat your cherries, Mary,
That grow upon the bough."

As Joseph was a-walking
He heard the Angels sing,
This night there shall be born
Our heavenly king.

"He neither shall be born
In house nor in hall,
Nor in the place of Paradise,
But in an ox-stall.

"He shall not be rocked,
In silver nor gold,
But in a wooden cradle
That rocks on the mould.

"He neither shall be christened
In milk, nor in wine,
But in pure spring-well water
Fresh sprung from Bethine."

Mary took her Baby,
She dressed him so sweet,
She laid Him in a manger
All there for to sleep.

As she stood over Him
She heard Angels sing,
"Oh! bless our dear Savior,
Our heavenly King."

As William Studwell points out, however, there is not a single "Cherry Tree Carol."  Rather, this is a combination of three separate carols which later merged.  The first carol, based on the above quoted exchange is "Joseph Was an Old Man."  The second carol begins with the stanza "As Joseph Was A-Walking" (also known as Joseph and the Angel). Finally, there is an Easter carol, "Mary's Question," which begins with the stanza "Then Mary took her young Son."

Studwell writes "The truth of the matter is that there are a number of "Cherry Tree" carols so that instead of the very misleading singular form a multiple designation such as "The Cherry Tree Carols," or even better, "The Cherry Tree Carol Series" should be substituted.

Bradley notes that multiple theories exist concerning the symbolism of the carol.  He writes, "Some folklorists point to the widespread use in folklore of the gift of a cherry, or similar fruit carrying its own seed, as a divine authentication of human fertility."  He also notes the relationship between the eating of the fruit by Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the eating of cherries by Mary whose son would erase the transgression.  He adds that some versions have Mary and Joseph walking through a garden, rather than an orchard, reinforcing the motif of the Garden of Eden.

It has also been noted that the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, Chapter 20, has a story that during their flight into Egypt, Mary sits beneath a palm tree and desires its dates, but is unable to reach them.  Joseph is unable to climb the tree, but when Jesus intervenes, the tree bows down to give Mary the fruit.

Cecil Sharp captured six American versions that were published in English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians (1932):

1. As Joseph and Mary Were A-Walking the Green (Mrs. Tom Rice, 1916)
2. Joseph Were a Young Man (Mr. William, 1916)
3. When Joseph Was a Young Man (Mr. William Wooton, 1917)
4. Joseph Was a Young Man (Mrs. Margaret Dunagan, 1917)
5. Joseph Was a Young Man (Mrs. Alice and Mrs. Sudie Sloan, 1917)
6. Joseph Took Mary All on His Right Knee (Mrs. Townsley, 1917)

For more information click into The Cherry Tree Carol and What is the significance and/or history of cherry wood as it relates to Mary?

When neither kings nor kin were there,
it mattered little, Mary Love,
just who was there or anywhere,
for Love Itself, for Love was there.

Full many were dismayed a King
could not afford more royal wear,
have nobles by, and glittering spears,
and a crown of gold for His hair.

No senates came with tribute due,
the most of men seemed not to care,
It mattered little, Mary Love,
for Love Itself, and you, were there.

Herbert, Albert Joseph. Mary, Our Blessed Lady. Exposition Press, 1970.

The lights that fill Our Lady's eyes
Flood not from merely mortal skies.
Our Lady is the stirring word
Archangel Michael may have heard,
Pure Maiden in a Virgin's white,
Yet Mother throned on highest height.
Whose arms were nest God made His own,
Whose lap He fashioned for His throne;
Whose Motherhood is the one rose
Like which no other flower grows.
Although no mortal holds her place
Humbleness is sweet upon her face.
Because she holds One at her side
Her arms to all are Mother-wide;
For each tired heart calm on her breast
Is her own Son obtaining rest.
Each knows a kiss sweet with all grace
From lips that brush God's Infant face;
Each lives the golden childhood dream
That Beauty is and does not seem,
That by Her hearts might ever stay
And never note the passing day,
In joy of being by her side
As Jesus was at Christmastide.

I think though I would always sing
of Her, my song be futile thing.
For She is Music from Above,
But I pipe earthly notes of love.

For Our Lady of Perpetual Help,
among the lights in Clonard Monastery Church,
Belfast, Christmas (Blackout)
Hebert, Albert Joespeh. Mary, Our Blessed Lady.
New York: Exposition Press, 1970.