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.