The Friendly Beasts

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"The Friendly Beasts" is a traditional Christmas song about the gifts that a donkey, a cow, a sheep, and a dove gave to Jesus at the Nativity. The song seems to have originated in 12th-century France, set to the melody of the Latin song Orientis Partibus.[1] The current English words were written by Robert Davis (1881-1950) in the 1920s.[2] Burl Ives included the song on his 1952 album Christmas Day in the Morning. Since then, it has been recorded by many other artists, including Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Sufjan Stevens.[3] Garth Brooks recorded it on his platinum "Beyond The Season" in 1992.

The song is also known as "The Song of the Ass," The Donkey Carol," "The Animal Carol" and "The Gift of the Animals."[4] Belafonte and Cash use the title "The Gifts They Gave."

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cyber Hymnal: link
  2. ^ The Hymns and Carols of Christmas: The Friendly Beasts: link
  3. ^ iTunes: Music Store
  4. ^ The Hymns and Carols of Christmas: The Friendly Beasts: link


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