More than one tale of a cat who was there in Bethlehem...on the night Christ was born has been passed on from European farm folk of the early Christian centuries. For after all, every stable was known to have kept at least one cat to catch mice.

Thus it was quite natural, when the Bible story was told in their own words, that a cat eventually entered the scene as a matter of course. And it followed that a discreet lesson was included, in this case something that might send the children out to wash hands and faces with out being told, or start their elders in equal concern for clean minds and hearts.

To turn this Christmas story-poem into a Christmas carol requires merely setting it to music. An apt tune easily be "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton..."
by V.C. Holmgren

Hugs and Happy Holidays,
Watty

THE CAT'S CHRISTMAS CAROL

Sing along to
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton/Away in Manger

A bedraggled white cat with fur matted and torn
Came to Bethlehem stable the night Christ was born
The ox was her friend and he nodded his head
To say that she might use his straw for her bed

Two travelers were sleeping now by the far wall
And their donkey was dozing there in the next stall,
But the cat passed them by, never changing her pace,
And curled up to sleep without washing her face.

Then soon after midnight she started and stirred
Because of astonishing sounds that she heard
A chorus of angels outside in the sky!
And here in the stable a baby's birth cry!

Now the ox and the donkey were wide awake, too,
And all shared in the joy their hearts told them was true--
That the babe was God's son and sent down from above
To bring to all creatures the gift of God's love.

Then up on the roof the cock crowed with fullvoice:
"Christ is born! Christ is born! Let the whole world rejoice!"
And the cat now crept forward to where the child lay
Wrapped up in white cloth on a cradle of hay.

And she started to purr but it stuck in her throat
As she thought in sad shame of her soiled, tangled coat.
So she went to a corner where she could not be seen
And licked, lapped and licked till she looked combed and clean.

Then again she crept forward to sit by the child's side
And purred lullaby music as his eyes opened wide
And he smiled as he blessed her and she gave him her vow'
That all cats in all countries would honor him now,

And no cat and no kitten would ever be seen
With face, fur or paws that were not shining clean,
Lest they be caught in shame as she'd been this night
Unclean and unworthy to appear in his sight.

So when you see cats washing themselves after play.
Remember the cat on that first Christmas Day.
How she washed herself clean and untangled her fur
To come to the Christ Child with lullabye purr.

< < < < Author unknown > > > >

Midi from
Folk songs from England, Ireland, Scottland and Wales