Carillon

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 Nostre Dame,
Riding on an ass, full weary came
From Nazareth into Bethlehem.
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

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 Christmas Day."
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

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.

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 Noel on a winter's night.
Give up to sup by the warm firelight,
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

Before the paling of the stars,
  Before the winter morn,
  Before the earliest cock crow,
  Jesus Christ was born:
    Born in a stable,
  Cradled in a manger,
In the world his hands had made
  Born a stranger.

Priest and king lay fast asleep
  In Jerusalem;
Young and old lay fast asleep
  In crowded Bethlehem;
Saint and angel, ox and ass,
  Kept a watch together
  Before the Christmas daybreak
  In the winter weather.

Jesus on his mother's breast
  In the stable cold,
Spotless lamb of God was he,
  Shepherd of the fold:
Let us kneel with Mary maid,
With Joseph bent and hoary,
With saint and angel, ox and ass,
  To hail the King of Glory.