Coventry Carol
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
By by, lully lullay
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling
For whom we do sing
By by, lully lullay?
Herod, the king
In his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might
By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
By by, lully lullay
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling
For whom we do sing
By by, lully lullay?
Herod, the king
In his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might
In his own sight,
All young children to slay
That woe is me
Poor child for thee!
And ever morn and day,
For thy parting
Neither say nor sing
By by, lully lullay!
All young children to slay
That woe is me
Poor child for thee!
And ever morn and day,
For thy parting
Neither say nor sing
By by, lully lullay!
Reflection
This is by far one of the saddest Christmas songs ever written. Its author is unknown and its name is derived from the region in England where it was written. It comes from a mystery play that has long since been lost. The song itself describes the Massacre of the Innocents by Herod in the second chapter of Matthew. One could wonder how such a sad song survived all this time. The best answer seems to be that as human beings we have witnessed
horrible loss and tragedy at the hands of evil. It is important that with recent events in Newtown, CT that we do not
sugar coat Christmas and remember, as this song does, those who have been slaughtered at the hand of evil. Take time now to pray for the innocent who have been killed and their families as they grieve.
