Jeanyee Wong

Immensely talented artist Jeanyee Wong presents the old Yorkshire ballad, The Cherry Tree Carol, in this gorgeously-illustrated holiday picture-book, published in 1951. Each two-page spread features two verses of the song on the left-hand page and a full-page illustration on the right. The artwork here is done in three tones: red, goldish brown and a subtle, dark tealish blue. The compisition of the artwork has a folky feel, and the decorative endpapers include a brief musical notation for the carol.

Having never heard of this carol, nor of this artist, before coming across a listing for this book at my library, while searching for picture-book presentations of Christmas carols (a pet project of mine), I was eager to take a look at The Cherry Tree Carol. What I discovered was a lovely poem, and a lovely book. The story in the poem/carol is simple enough: Mary longs for a red cherry, when she and Joseph are in an orchard, but he refuses to get it for her, leading the unborn Baby Jesus to cause the cherry tree to bend down for her. This shows Joseph the error of his ways, as does the angels' singing he hears in the second part of the carol. The third part involves a discussion between Mary and the newborn Jesus about what is to come in the world. Simple but fascinating, this narrative is paired with gorgeous artwork, stylized and beautiful. Here is Mary picking a cherry, while Joseph kneels down in adoration:



And here is the Nativity scene, as sung by the angels:



A surprising pleasure, and well worth tracking down, The Cherry Tree Carol is sure to appeal to readers, like myself, who value beautiful picture-books featuring Christmas songs. As for the artist, I will have to track down more of her work. I have included the lyrics of the song below, as the recordings to which I listened, in order to prepare myself to read this one, didn't contain the full version, and it is likely that other readers might also be unfamiliar with this carol.

Part I:

"Joseph was an old man,
And an old man was he,
When he wedded Mary
In the land of Galilee.

Joseph and Mary walked
Through an orchard good,
Where was cherries and berries
so red as any blood.

Joseph and Mary walked
Through an orchard green,
Where was cherries and berries
As thick as might be seen.

O then bespoke Mary,
So meek and so mild,
"Pluck me one cherry, Joseph,
For I am with child."

O then bespoke Joseph,
With words most unkind,
"Let him pluck thee a cherry
Who is father to thy child."

Mary looked at Joseph
And Mary hung her head,
"All I wanted, Joseph,
Is one cherry red."

O then bespoke the Babe
Within His mother's breast -
"Bow doen then the tallest tree
And quench my mother's thirst."

Then bowed down the highest tree,
Unto His Mother's hand.
The she cried, 'See, Joseph,
I have cherries at command."

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

Then Mary plucked a cherry,
As red as the blood;
Then Mary Went home
With her heavy load."

Part II

"As Joseph was a-walking,
He heard an angel sing:
"This night 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's stall.

He neither shall be clothed
In purple nor in pall,
But all in fair linen
As are babies all.

He neither shall be rocked
In silver nor in gold,
But in a wooden cradle
That rocks on the mould.

He neither shall be christened
In white wine nor red,
But with fair spring water
With which we were christened."

Yet multitudes shall hail him
And herald angels sing;
The stars shall shine more brightly
On the babe, our King!"

Part III:

"Then Mary took her young Son,
And set Him on her knee:
"I pray Thee now, dear Child,
Tell how this world shall be."

The Babe looked at his mother,
His eyes filled with pain;
"There will be sunshine, Mother,
But first there will be rain.

First will come the frost, Mother,
Dead leaves on the tree;
And down will fall your tears, Mother,
That such a thing should be.

Then will come the Spring, Mother,
With bloom upon the tree,
And the sun and the moon, Mother,
Shall rise again with me."… (altro)