THE FRIENDLY BEASTS

 

An old carol from France

 

Jesus our brother, kind and good,

Was humbly born in a stable rude;

The friendly beasts around Him stood,

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

 

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,

“I carried His mother up hill and down;

I carried her safely to Bethlehem town,

I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

 

“I,” said the cow, all white and red,

‘I gave Him my manger for His bed;

I gave Him hay to pillow His head,

I,” said the cow, all white and red.

 

“I,” said the sheep with the curly horn,

“I gave Him my wool for a blanket warm

He wore my coal on Christmas morn

I,” said the sheep with the curly horn.

 

“I,” said the dove from the rafters high,

“I cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry,

I cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I

I,’ said the dove from the rafters high.

 

And every beast, by some good spell,

In the stable dark was glad to tell,

Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,

The gift he gave Emmanuel.

 

“For God so loved the world, that he

gave his only begotten Son, that

whosoever believeth in him should

not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

 

Epaphroditus© December 25, 2023

 

Merry Christmas