“The Holly Bears a Berry”

Description

"The holly she bears a berry as white as the milk/And Mary bore Jesus who was wrapped up in silk"; similarly "... berry red as the blood/...to do sinners good", "green as the grass/...who died on the cross."

Long description

"The holly she bears a berry as white as the milk/And Mary bore Jesus who was wrapped up in silk", similar verses for "The holly bears a berry as red as the blood/...to do sinners good", "green as the grass/...who died on the cross." Cho.: "And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be/And the first tree that's in the greenwood it was the holly"

Notes

This clearly derives from the same roots as "The Holly and the Ivy," and a strong case could be made that they should be considered one song. [Indeed, Kennedy lumps them. - PJS] As, however, both are circulated in fairly fixed forms, I decided to separate them. - RBW

Agreed. Norma Waterson, incidentally, places this as a spring carol, appropriate between Passiontide and Easter. Kennedy's Cornish words are a revivalist translation from the English. - PJS

According to the Oxford Book of Carols, the title the "Sans Day Carol" does not mean "Carol Without a Day," nor is it a reference to [All] Saints' Day; rather, the song was taken down as St. Day in Cormwall.

Jean Ritchie learned this in the United States, but it was not from her family tradition; I have not listed it as found in the Appalachians, because she does not give full details about the source of her version. - RBW

Cross references

References

  1. Kennedy 91, "'Ma Grun War 'n Gelynen [The Holly Bears a Berry]" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. OBC 35, "Sans Day Carol" (1 text, 1 tune)
  3. Bronson 54, "The Cherry Tree Carol" (version #27 contains "The Holly Bears a Berry")
  4. Ritchie-Southern, p. 42, "The Holly Bears a Berry" (1 text, 1 tune)
  5. DT, HOLLYBR*
  6. Roud #514
  7. BI, K091

About

Alternate titles: “Sans Day Carol”
Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1929 (Dunstan)
Found in: Britain(England(South))