1. JESUS, OUR BROTHER, (<) STRONG, (>) GOOD,
HUMBLE BORN IN FARM ANIMAL HOUSE.
FRIENDLY ANIMAL (2h)STAND"over time"@lf.
JESUS, OUR BROTHER, (<) STRONG, (>) GOOD,

2. (Role play from lf) ME++, SAY DONKEY, HAIR 4-CL'mane' BROWN.
ME++ CARRY HIS-lf MOTHER (2h)Vwg-CL'go uphill, go downhill'.
ME++ CARRY HIS-lf MOTHER TO WHERE? BETHLEHEM.
ME++, SAY DONKEY, HAIR 4-CL'mane' BROWN.

3. (Role play from rt) ME++, SAY COW, (<) WHITE, (>) BROWN (2h)alt.bC-CL'spots'.
ME++ GIFT-TO-lf MANGER. FOR-FOR? SLEEP.
ME++ GIFT-TO-lf H-A-Y. FOR-FOR? CUSHION HIS-lf HEAD.
ME++, SAY COW, (<) WHITE, (>) BROWN.

4. (Role play from lf) ME++, SAY SHEEP, (2h)C->S-CL'curly horns'.
ME++ GIFT-TO-lf MY FUR (2h)[V]-CL'shear wool' FOR BLANKET WARM.
CHRISTMAS MORNING HE-lf WEAR MY COAT.
ME++, SAY SHEEP, (2h)C->S-CL'curly horns'.

5. (Role play from rt) ME++, SAY DOVE, SIT ROOF~(B, V:)-CL'sit in rafters'.
ME++ SING 20-CL'sing', HE-lf SLEEP, NOT CRY.
SWEETHEART TWO-OF-US SING 20-CL'sing'.
ME++, SAY DOVE, SIT ROOF (B, V:)-CL'sit in rafters'.

6. "SO" ALL ANIMAL WORK LIKE MAGIC.
IN THEIR HOUSE DARK, HAPPY.
||: (2h)alt.GIFT-TO-lf GOD WITH US (2h)HE-lf. :||

7. MYSELF ALSO HAPPY INFORM"all"
||: alt.GIFT-TO-rt GOD WITH US. :||
JESUS, OUR BROTHER, (<) STRONG, (>) GOOD.

Notes: (2h)STAND"over time"@lf - (2h)[V^], POs > signer, FOs away, are held in position like those of a four-footed animal and move together in circles as if standing for a long time.

4-CL'mane' - [4] touches FT to top of head and goes down the back of the neck and off the shoulder to indicate a mane.

(2h)Vflutter-CL'go uphill, go downhill' - (2h)[V^], POs > signer, FOs away, flutter fingers and move hand together as if a four-footed animal were walking up a hill and walking down a hill.

(2h)alt.bC-CL'spots' - [bC], POs ><, FOs up, are alternately places on the body to indicate a number of spots.

MANGER - (2h)[V], POs ><, FOs up, interlock fingers.

CUSHION - the hands are held similar to MEETING but separated and the FTs don't close completely.

(2h)C->S-CL'curly horns' - (2h)[C] are held against the top of the head olike the base of the horns, then rise up in spirals while closing to (2h)[S].

FUR - (2h)[V]-CL'shear wool' - (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs away, descend against chest + (2h)[V] snip at upper chest, then snip at lower chest.

ROOF~(B, V:)-CL'sit in rafters' - (2h)[B] touch FT like a roof and with NDH held in place, a [V:] is place in the spot just below the NDH where the rafters might be.

20-CL'sing' - the sign BIRD but with multiple beak closings and the bobbing in a figure eight, a la Stevie Wonder.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

Lyrics:

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 up hill and down;
I carried her safely 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 so He would 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
Of the gift he gave Immanuel,
The gift he gave Immanuel.

7. "I," was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Immanuel,
The gift he gave Immanuel.
Jesus our brother, kind and good.

To hear a performance of this song, go to Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua recordings: The friendly beasts.