This Endris Night

This endris night I saw a sight,
a star as bright as day;
and e'er among a maiden sung,
"Lullay, bye bye, lullay."

This lovely lady sat and sung,
and to her child did say,
"My son, my brother, father dear,
why liest thou in hay?"

The child then spake in his talking,
and to his mother said:
"Yea, I am known as heaven king,
in crib though I be laid."

"For angels bright down to me light,
thou knowest 'tis no nay,
and for that sight thou may'st delight
to sing 'bye bye lullay.'"


This Endris Night is a lullaby carol.  The title means "the other night" or "several nights ago."  The words come from the late Middle Ages.