THREE CHRISTMAS SONGS

I. THE GUESTS

Why is there such a dancing din

About the stable of the inn?

“An old man, winter white, is here

A wayfarer he doth appear.”

“If this be all, why is the night

Lit up with this unearthly light?”

“A maid, the fairest maid, is here,

Some great Lady she doth appear.”

“But even so, why do there fly

Such flocks of Angels from the sky?”

“A Babe, a most sweet flower, is here,

A Child from Heaven He doth appear.”

II. COCKADOODLEDOO!

Cockadoodledoo!

Our Lady’s lost her shoe,

St. Joseph’s lost his lantern,

What will they do?

The Child will be both Shoes and Staff

And a Lantern too.

In the dark night He’ll be their Light.

And their Guide so true

Cockadoodledoo!

They that slept for sorrow

Wake on a glad morrow,

Their goal won,

Their travel done,

Their trouble thro’—

How cunning is His little laugh

His eyes how blue!

Cockadoodledoo!

The sun is high in Egypt’s sky,

Cockadoodledoo!

III. A CHILDERMAS RHYME

Babes in the wood

Babes in the tower,

Babes killed at Childermas

In an evil hour,

Babe safe in Egypt

From the tyrant’s power,

Wicked uncles, wicked kings,

Robbers counting chains and rings,

Wicked kings who killed for greed,

A good thief who stole for need,

Herod gone and Crookback sped,

The old villainous uncle dead,

When the Babe is crowned a King

That good thief will find his meed

In a green place where robins sing,

Where the holy babes and meek

In the wood play hide-and-seek.

R. L. Gales