The Friendly Beasts

(album: Christmas Eve With Burl Ives - 1957)

Jesus our brother kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable of wood
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother kind and good

"I" said the donkey all shaggy and brown
I carried his mother up hill and down
I carried his mother to Bethlehem town
"I" said the donkey all 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 curly horn
I gave him my wool for his blanket so warm
He wore my coat on Christmas morn
"I" said the sheep with curly horn

"I" said the dove from the rafters so high
I cooed him to sleep that he should not cry
We cooed him to sleep my love and I
"I" said the dove from the rafters so high

Thus every beast by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gifts they gave Emmanuel
The gifts they gave Emmanuel