Author: Anon. Meter: Irregular Appears in 33 hymnals Scripture: Luke 2:7 First Line: Jesus, our brother, strong and good Lyrics: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Topics: Christ's Gracious Life Birth and Baptism; Christian Year Christmas; Christian Year Epiphany; Christ's Gracious Life Birth and Baptism; Christian Year Christmas; Christian Year Epiphany; Jesus Christ Used With Tune: ORIENTIS PARTIBUS Text Sources: 12th cent. French carol
The Friendly Beasts