The Friendly Beasts
A Christmas legend where the beasts who shared the stable with the Christ child each bestowed a gift on Him. The legend often has it that the animals in the stable gained the power of speech for that night.
- 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.