Under the Greenwood Tree, a novel, follows the activities of the Mellstock Parish choir. When the group performs at a schoolhouse, one of the singers, Dick Dewy, falls in love with Fancy, the school mistress. The two secretly become engaged, but Mr. Maybold, the vicar and a wealthier man than Dick, is also in love with Fancy. As this love triangle unfolds, the choir also debates whether or not to replace their traditional accompaniment with a more modern organ.