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The Shepherds Knew
The shepherds knew
That the Child wanted a fiesta
And every one of them wore out
A hundred pairs of castanets.
from a Spanish carol
One Glorious Star
When Christ was born in Bethlehem
T'was night, but seemed the noon of day.
The stars whose light was pure and bright
Shone with unwavering ray.
But one, one glorious star
Guided the Eastern Magi from afar.
from a Sicilian Shepherd's Carol
translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Carol of the Birds
Whence comes this rush of wings afar,
Following straight the Noel star?
Birds from the woods in wondrous flight,
Bethlehem seek this Holy Night.
"Tell us, ye birds, why come ye here,
Into this stable, poor and drear?"
"Hast'ning we seek the new-born King,
And all our sweetest music bring."
Hark how the green-finch bears his part,
Philomel, too, with tender heart,
Chants from her leafy dark retreat,
Re, mi, fa, sol, in accents sweet.
Angels and shepherds, birds of the sky,
Come where the Son of God doth lie;
Christ on earth with man doth well,
Join in the shout, Noel, Noel.
an Old French Carol from Bas Query
Carol of the Birds
A star rose in the sky
and glory from on high
did fill the night with splendor.
Came birds with joyful voice
to carol and rejoice with
songs so sweet and tender.
Came birds with joyful voice
to carol and rejoice with
songs so sweet and tender.
The eagle then did rise,
went flying through the skies,
to tell the wondrous story,
sang, Jesus, born is he,
from sin we are set free,
he brings us joy and glory.
The sparrow with delight
said, This is Christmas night,
our happiness revealing.
The sky with praises rang,
as finch and robin sang-
oh, what a happy feeling!
The lark upon the wing
said, Now it seems like spring,
no more is winter pressing;
for now a flower is born
whose fragrance on this morn
to earth brings heaven's blessing.
Sang magpie, thrush, and jay,
It seems the month of May
in answer to our yearning.
The trees again are green
and blossoms now are seen,
it is the spring returning!
The cuckoo sang, Come, come,
And celebrate the dawn
this glorious aurora.
The raven from his throat
then trilled a festive note
to the unexcelled Senora.
The partridge then confessed,
I want to biuld my nest
beneath that very gable
where I may see the Child
and watch whene'er he smiles
with Mary in that stable.
Old Spanish Carol from Catalonia
Farewell to Christmas
Noel is leaving us,
Sad it is to tell,
But he will come again,
Adieu, Noel.
His wife and his children
Weep as they go.
On a gray horse,
They ride through the snow.
The kings ride away
In the snow and the rain,
After twelve months,
We shall see them again.
French Epiphany Carol
Kolyada
"Kolyada" "Kolyada"
Kolyada has arrived,
On the Eve of the Nativity,
Holy Kolyada
Through all the courts, in all the alleys.
We found Kolyada
In Peter's Court.
Round Peter's Court there is an iron fence,
In the midst of the court there are three
rooms,
In the first room is the bright Moon,
In the second room the red Sun,
And in the third room, the many stars.
Russian Carol
The Bird's Carol
From out of a wood did a cuckoo fly,
Cuckoo.
He came to a manger with joyful cry,
Cuckoo;
He hopped, he curtsied, round he flew,
And loud his jubilation grew,
Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo.
A pidgeon flew over to Galilee,
Vrercroo
He strutted, and cooed, and was full of glee,
Vrercroo
And showed with jewelled wings unfurled,
His joy that Christ was in the world,
Vrercroo, vrercroo, vrercroo.
A dove settled down upon Nazareth,
Tsucroo.
And tenderly chanted with all his breath,
Tsucroo.
"O you," he cooed, "so good and true,
My beauty do I give to you –
Tsucroos, Tsucroo, Tsucroo."
Traditional Czech Carol translation by Percy Dearmer
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