It was the Cherry Tree Carol that rose outside, of how sweet Mary, the
Queen of Galilee, besought Joseph to pluck the cherries for her Babe, and
Joseph refused; and the voices of the singers, that had begun
hesitatingly, grew strong and loud and free.
"… and Joseph wouldn't pluck the cherries," somebody was whispering to the tiny Angela….
"Mary said to Cherry Tree,
'Bow down to my knee,
That I may pluck cherries
For my Babe and me.'"
the carollers sang; and "Now listen, darling," the one who held Angela murmured….
"_The uppermost spray then
Bowed down to her knee;
'Thus you may see, Joseph,
These cherries are for me.'
"'O, eat your cherries, Mary,
Give them your Babe now;
O, eat your cherries, Mary,
That grew upon the bough._'"
The little Angela, within the arms that held her, murmured, "It's the gipsies, isn't it, mother?"
"No, darling. The gipsies have gone. It's the carol-singers, singing because Jesus was born."
"But, mother … it is the gipsies, isn't it?… 'Cos look…"
"Look where?"