“It’s all right,� Mary said, “you can come back.� She held out the bowl.
The little one crept closer again and began to lick the remaining milk. Mary petted the kid’s soft
fur and scratched around her horns.
“Mah-ah-ah!� the kid bleated, rubbing against the woman’s hand. The warm sunlight
came through the doorway, turning the straw into gold and making everything warm and bright. â
€œMah-ah-ah!â€�
“Look at her, bleating like that,� said the Donkey. “She can’t even show reverence in
the presence of a King.�
“Hush, stupid goat, you’ll wake the Child,� the Cow hissed.
But it was too late; the Child was awake. His mother lifted him from the make-shift cradle and held
him in her arms. He opened his eyes and raised his hands toward the sunlight.
The kid couldn’t contain herself. Happy and full of milk, she bounced, jumped, cavorted and
leaped. She twisted and bleated, jumping on and off the piles of straw, the sacks and anything else.
She leaped into the air, landed lightly, then leaped high again.
The Child laughed- remarkable in a newborn- and waved his chubby hands in the air. The kid
bounded up to him, frisking and skipping. For a brief instant, the Child laid his hand on the soft
golden fur, then the kid skipped away sideways. The Baby crowed with laughter. The little goatâ
€™s joy was contagious.
The other animals watched in amazement.. The little goat was making the Holy Child laugh.
“The Child loves her,� the donkey said in disbelief.
"He has never petted us," mourned the Cow.
Mother Ewe smiled, and nudged her lambs.
The kid bounced up to Mary and nuzzled her hand, wanting her head scratched again.
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away,�
Mary sang softly, petting the little goat. The kid knelt down beside her and fell asleep, her head
resting beside the Holy Child.
Overhead, the dove began to sing,
“I, said the goat kid, golden and white,
I bounded with joy in the first Christmas light.
The King saw me dance, and laughed with delight,
I, said the goat kid, golden and white.�
THE FRIENDLY BEASTS
The song we call "The Friendly
Beasts" is based on a 12th century
French carol. This version is found in
Green Grows the Holly: Medieval and
Renaissance Christmas Carols by
Suzanne Guldimann.
I, said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
I carried His mother up hills and down,
I carried His mother to Bethlehem town,
I said the donkey, shaggy and brown.
I, said the ox all white and red,
I gave Him my manger for His bed.
I gave Him my hay to pillow his head.
I, said the ox all white and red.
I, said the sheep with the curling horn,
I gave him my wool for his blanket warm,
He wore my coat on Christmas morn,
I, said the sheep with the curling horn.
I said the dove, from the rafters high,
I cooed him to sleep that he would not cry
We cooed him to sleep, my mate and I,
I, said the dove, from the rafters high.
Thus every beast by some good spell,
In the stable dark was glad to tell,
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
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