The Friendly Beasts (Christmas Carol)

Words: anonymous, with a 12th Century melody
Rise Up Singing chapter: Faith, p.42
D - A D / - G A D / - G A Bm / D - A D

A Christmas carol for you on the 20th of December. Merry Christmas, all.

Lyrics:
Jesus our brother strong/kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother, strong/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 my hay to pillow his head
I" said the cow, all white and red

The sheep with the curly horn gave him her wool for his blanket warm, and he wore her coat on Christmas morn. The camel, all yellow and black, over the desert upon her back, brought him a gift from the wise man's pack. The dove, from the rafters high, cooed him to sleep, that he should not cry. They cooed him to sleep, her mate and she. Thus every beast by some good spell, in the stable dark was glad to tell of the gift he gave Immanuel, the gift he gave Immanuel.