La Noel Passée

traditional French carol arr. Benjamin Britten

One Christmas “I’m starving ,” the orphan child said.
And Never a Farthing to buy me some bread.
I went to the castle of Good King Henry,
And said Oh my master, pray listen to - me.

Chorus:
Prenez vos musettes Et vos epinettes..
Prenez vos musettes Et vos epinettes..
L’enfant cette nuit, S’est fait tout petit,
L’enfant cette nuit, S’est fait tout petit,

For this very evening in days long gone by,
A Mother was bearing a child such as I
He lay in a manger, His cradle of wood.
To guard him from danger an ox by him stood

Chorus:

The king robed in glory heard tell of this child.
For joy at my story, the good king he smiled.
He took from a casket a big golden crown.
And into my jacket he dropped it down.

Chorus: