This is The Sally Tree, from the Mick Tems South Wales Archive Collection - a carol from Radnorshire, Wales. I particularly like the twist in the story!

The Sally Tree

1. As it fell out upon one day
It was of a holy day
Sweet Jesus asked his mother dear
If he might go and play

2. To play, to play and you be gone
And play and get you on
And let me hear of no complaint
At night when you return

3. Then he went down in Yonder's Town
As far as he could see
And there he saw some fine children
As fine as tongue could tell

4. He bid God bless them every one
Crying: Save their souls, sighed he
Little children shall I play with you
And you shall play with me

5. Oh no, replied they unto the Lord
That never, never must be
Never can you play with us
Who will never play with thee

6. For we are lords' and ladies' sons
Born in our bowered hall
And you be but a poor maid's child
Born in an ox's stall

7. He turned his back to go away
He neither laughed nor smiled
But the tears ran trickling down his cheek
Like water from the skies

8. Then he went home to his mother
I have been down in Yonder's Town
And there I saw some fine children
As fine as tongue could tell

9. I bid God bless them every one
Crying: Save their souls, signed he
Little children shall I play with you
And you shall play with me

10. Oh no, replied they to the Lord
That never, never must be
Never can you play with us
Who will never play with thee

11. For we are lords' and ladies' sons
Born in our bowered hall
They said I was but a poor maid's child
Born in an ox's stall

12. Go back, go back, mild Mary said
Go back and.... (lost)
And take every one of the sinful souls
And dip them deep in hell

13. Oh no, replied sweet Jesus Christ
For that would never be
There are too many of the sinful world
Crying out for the help of me

14. And then she took a sally twig
And well she twigged me
And after that I set the twig
And it grew to a sally tree.