The Friendly Beasts

1 Jesus, our brother, kind and good,
was humbly born in a stable rude,
and the friendly beasts around him stood;
Jesus, our brother, kind 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 my 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 every beast by some good spell,
in the stable dark was glad to tell
how they gave their gift to Emmanuel;
the gift they gave Emmanuel.

Source: Community of Christ Sings #412

• MIDI file from The Cyber Hymnal #1614
  
• Audio recording from The United Methodist Hymnal #227