The Friendly Beasts
Jesus, our brother, kind and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude;
And 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 His mother 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 my 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 His blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn."
"I," said the Sheep, with the curly horn.
"I," said the Dove, from the rafters high,
"I cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I."
"I," said the Dove, from the rafters high.
Thus every beast by some glad spell,
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
Les Bêtes Amicales
Jésus, notre frère, bon et gentil,
Est né humblement dans une étable rustique ;
Et les bêtes amicales autour de lui se tenaient.
Jésus, notre frère, bon et gentil.
"Moi," dit l'Âne, hirsute et brun,
"J'ai porté sa mère en haut et en bas ;
J'ai porté sa mère jusqu'à la ville de Bethléem."
"Moi," dit l'Âne, hirsute et brun.
"Moi," dit la Vache, toute blanche et rouge,
"Je lui ai donné ma mangeoire pour son lit ;
Je lui ai donné mon foin pour reposer sa tête."
"Moi," dit la Vache, toute blanche et rouge.
"Moi," dit le Mouton, avec la corne bouclée,
"Je lui ai donné ma laine pour sa couverture chaude ;
Il a porté mon manteau le matin de Noël."
"Moi," dit le Mouton, avec la corne bouclée.
"Moi," dit la Colombe, des poutres hautes,
"Je l'ai bercé pour qu'il ne pleure pas ;
Nous l'avons bercé, mon compagnon et moi."
"Moi," dit la Colombe, des poutres hautes.
Ainsi chaque bête par un sort joyeux,
Dans l'obscurité de l'étable était heureuse de dire
Le cadeau qu'il a fait à Emmanuel,
Le cadeau qu'il a fait à Emmanuel.