Day 16 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

"Believe it or not, a Christmas carol describes Herod's horrible deed.  Set in a minor key, this haunting lullaby, with words from a song written in 1534, is titled 'Lully, Lullay,' but is often called 'Coventry Carol.' The song originated in Coventry, England, where the local crafts guild performed a pageant depicting Herod's slaughter and the subsequent sorrow.  During the pageant mothers sing the children to sleep with 'Lully, Lullay' so Herod's soldiers can't find them.  The words themselves sound like a mother lullying her baby to sleep."--Ann Marie Stewart

Lully, Lullay

Lully, thou little, tiny child

By, by lully, lullay

Lully, Thou little tiny Child

By, by Lully, Lullay.

O sisters, too, how may we do for to preserve this day

This poor young ling for whom we 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 children young to slay.

Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee, and ever mourn and say

For thy parting, nor say, nor sing,

By, by, Lully, Lullay.