And as a man whom beasts surround Tumultuous, on a little mound Stands Archer, for one dreadful hour, Because a Man is borne to Power-- And still, to daunt the pack below, Twangs the clear purpose of his bow, Till overwhelmed he dares to fall: So stood this bulwark of us all. He kept his word as none but he Could keep it, and as did not we. And round him as he kept his word To-day’s diseased and faithless herd, A moment loud, a moment strong, But foul forever, rolled along.” NOËL I On a winter’s night long time ago (_The bells ring loud and the bells ring low_), When high howled wind, and down fell snow (Carillon, Carilla). Saint Joseph he and Notre Dame, Riding on an ass, full weary came From Nazareth into Bethlehem. And the small child Jesus smile on you. II And Bethlehem inn they stood before (_The bells ring less and the bells ring more_), The landlord bade them begone from his door (Carillon, Carilla). “Poor folk” (says he), “must lie where they may, For the Duke of Jewry comes this way, With all his train on a Christmas Day.” And the small child Jesus smile on you. III Poor folk that may my carol hear (_The bells ring single and the bells ring clear_), See! God’s one child had hardest cheer! (Carillon, Carilla). Men grown hard on a Christmas morn; The dumb beast by and a babe forlorn. It was very, very cold when our Lord was born. And the small child Jesus smile on you. IV Now these were Jews as Jews must be (_The bells ring merry and the bells ring free_), But Christian men in a band are we (Carillon, Carilla). Empty we go, and ill be-dight, Singing Noël on a Winter’s night. Give us to sup by the warm firelight, And the small child Jesus smile on you. THE EARLY MORNING The moon on the one hand, the dawn on the other: The moon is my sister, the dawn is my brother. The moon on my left and the dawn on my right. My brother, good morning: my sister, good night. THE BIRDS When Jesus Christ was four years old, The angels brought Him toys of gold, Which no man ever had bought or sold. And yet with these He would not play. He made Him small fowl out of clay, And blessed them till they flew away: _Tu creasti Domine_. Jesus Christ, Thou child so wise, Bless mine hands and fill mine eyes, And bring my soul to Paradise. OUR LORD AND OUR LADY They warned Our Lady for the Child That was Our blessed Lord, And She took Him into the desert wild, Over the camel’s ford. And a long song She sang to Him And a short story told: And She wrapped Him in a woollen cloak To keep Him from the cold. But when Our Lord was grown a man The Rich they dragged Him down, And they crucified Him in Golgotha, Out and beyond the Town.