The Friendly Beast

La Bête Amicale

The Friendly Beast

Jésus notre frère, bon et gentilJesus our brother, kind and good
Est né humblement dans un bois de grangeWas humbly born in a stable wood
Et les bêtes amicales autour de lui se tenaientAnd the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jésus notre frère, bon et gentil.Jesus our brother, kind and good.

"Moi," dit l'âne, hirsute et brun,"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
"J'ai porté sa mère en haut et en bas ;"I carried His mother up hill and down;
Je l'ai amenée en toute sécurité à Bethléem."I carried her safely to Bethlehem town."
"Moi," dit l'âne, hirsute et brun."I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

"Moi," dit la vache, toute blanche et rouge"I," said the cow, all white and red
"Je lui ai donné ma mangeoire pour un lit ;"I gave Him my manger for a bed;
Je lui ai donné mon foin pour reposer sa tête."I gave Him my hay to pillow His head."
"Moi," dit la vache, toute blanche et rouge."I," said the cow, all white and red.

"Moi," dit le mouton avec des cornes enroulées,"I," said the sheep with curly horn,
"Je lui ai donné ma laine pour sa couverture chaude ;"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;
Il a porté mon manteau ce matin de Noël."He wore my coat on that Christmas morn."
"Moi," dit le mouton avec des cornes enroulées."I," said the sheep with curly horn.

"Moi," dit la colombe des poutres hautes,"I," said the dove from the rafters high,
"Je l'ai bercé pour qu'il ne pleure pas ;"I cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;
Nous l'avons bercé, mon amour et moi."We cooed Him to sleep, my love and I."
"Moi," dit la colombe des poutres hautes."I," said the dove from the rafters high.

"Moi," dit le chameau, jaune et noir,"I," said the camel, yellow and black,
"À travers le désert, sur mon dos,"Over the desert, upon my back,
J'ai apporté un cadeau dans le paquet des Rois Mages."I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men's pack."
"Moi," dit le chameau, jaune et noir."I," said the camel, yellow and black.

Ainsi chaque bête, s'en souvenant bienThus every beast remembering it well
Dans l'obscurité de l'étable, était si fière de raconterIn the stable dark was so proud to tell
Les cadeaux qu'ils ont offerts à EmmanuelOf the gifts that they gave Emmanuel
Les cadeaux qu'ils ont offerts à Emmanuel.The gifts that they gave Emmanuel