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 uphill 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.
"I," said the dove from the rafters high,
"I cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry;
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I.
I," said the dove from the rafters high.
"I," said the sheep with the curly horn,
"I gave Him my wool, for a blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn.
I," said the sheep with the curly horn.
"I," said the rooster with the shining eye,
"I crowed the news up to the sky;
When the sun arose, I crowed to the sky.
I," said the rooster with the shining eye.
"I," said the camel all yellow and black,
"Over the desert upon my back,
I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men's pack.
I," said the camel, all yellow and black.
So 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.
--A Medieval Carol, Author Unknown--