The Friendly Beasts

Verse 1

Jesus, our brother,
strong and good,
was humbly born
in a stable rude,

and the friendly beasts
around him stood,
Jesus, our brother,
strong and good.

Verse 2

“I,” said the donkey,
shaggy and brown,
“I carried his mother
uphill and down,

I carried his mother
to Bethlehem town;
I,” said the donkey,
shaggy and brown.

Verse 3

“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.

Verse 4

“I,” said the sheep
with curly horn,
“I gave him my
wool for his blanket warm,

he wore my coat
on Christmas morn;
I,” said the sheep
with curly horn.

Verse 5

“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.

Verse 6

Thus all the beasts,
by some good spell,
in the stable dark
were glad to tell

of the gifts they gave
Emmanuel,
the gifts they gave
Emmanuel.