Saint Joseph and Mary

SAINT JOSEPH and Mary,
    A-journeying went they :
Saint-Joseph and Mary, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    A-journeying went they,
Noël!

When they came to the town,
    They knew not where to stay :
When they came to the town, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    They knew not where to stay,
Noël!

But a poor widow gave them
    A stable where they lay :
A poor widow gave them, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    A stable where they lay :
Noël!

                                                “Now

“Now kind thanks, Dame Margaret,
    Who turned us not away :
Now kind thanks, Dame Margaret, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Who turned us not away.”
Noël!

“Unto thy prayers, Dame Margaret,
    Ne’er shall be said Nay.
Unto thy prayers, Dame Margaret, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Ne’er shall be said Nay.”
Noël!

Carrying her newborn Child,
    Mary took her way.
Carrying her newborn Child, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Mary took her way.
Noël!

She met with a poor old man,
    A-sowing of corn and hay.
She met with a poor old man, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    A-sowing of corn and hay.
Noël!

                                                “A fair

“A fair good-day to thee, Mary,
    And to thy Child, good-day.
A fair good-day to thee, Mary, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    And to thy Child, good-day.”
Noël!

“Good man, where can I hide Him,
    If danger come this way ?
Good man, where can I hide Him, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    If danger come this way ?”
Noël!

“Wrap Him in yonder cloak,
    My winter cloak of grey.
Wrap Him in yonder cloak, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    My winter cloak of grey.”
Noël!

“Go back to thy field, good-man,
    ‘Tis time to cut thy hay.
Go back to thy field, good-man, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    ‘Tis time to cut thy hay.”
Noël!

                                                “Nay,

“Nay, how can the crop be grown,
    Or ever it be May ?
Nay, how can the crop be grown, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Or ever it be May ?”
Noël!

“Go seek thy sickle, good-man,
    Thy corn is ripe to-day.
Go seek thy sickle, good-man, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Thy corn is ripe to-day.”
Noël!

He turned him round and round,
    He knew not what to say.
He turned him round and round, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    He knew not what to say.
Noël!

The seed he had but sown,
    Was corn all golden gay.
The seed he had but sown, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Was corn all golden gay.
Noël!

He took his sickle to shear it,
    And lo, in piles it lay.
He took his sir.kle to shear it, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    And lo, in piles it lay !
Noël!

The good-man gazed around,
    And knelt him down to pray.
The good-man gazed around, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    And knelt him down to pray.
Noël!

Now God be thanked for this harvest,
    And for this happy day !
Now God be thanked for this harvest, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    And for this happy day!
Noël!

The Jews came riding by,
    They had a word to say.
The Jews came riding by, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    They had a word to say.
Noël!

                                                “Now

“Now tell us the truth, good-man,
    So rich in corn and hay.
Now tell us the truth, good-man, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    So rich in corn and hay.
Noël!

“Hast thou seen Maid Mary,
    And her young Child to-day ?
Hast thou seen Maid Mary, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    And her young Child to-day ?”
Noël!

Not since this field was sown,
    Has Mary passed this way.
Not since this field was sown, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    Has Mary passed this way.”
Noel!

“Then back, turn back, my men,
    For that was in last year’s May.
Then back, turn back, my men, O gay !
A-don-don-delle :
    For that was in last year’s May.”
Noël!