I know it’s not even close to Christmas yet, but I have to plan way ahead for the Christmas worship season, and once again today I found myself searching out good carols. The 1993 Unitarian Universalist hymnal contains the lovely Provençal carol “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.” But the hymnal editors included only two verses (verses 1 and 4 below).
Two verses are not enough to tell the whole story of the two milkmaids, Jeanette and Isabella, who go to milk the cows before sunrise one morning. There in the cows’ manger lies the baby Jesus! Jeanette and Isabella run back to the village to awaken the townsfolk with the news that the messiah (the Christ) has been born. The townsfolk all grab torches and head off to the stable to see for themselves. As the word spreads, more and more people come, some bringing cake (more precisely, gâteaux) so that everyone can celebrate. But Jesus is sleeping, and the latecomers are told to quiet down lest they waken the baby.
A Web search turned up four verses in French, and a decent translation by Edward Cuthbert. With all four verses, the song is a little more raucous and a little less precious. I’m bored with precious Christmas songs, so I like the longer version better. I’ve been thinking about developing children’s story to go with the song, a story that emphasizes the humanness of the baby, as well as the fact that the townsfolk saw great potential in this child — the potential to be the messiah and save the world.
You’ll find all four verses below (with the original French for Canadians, and anyone with Francophones in their congregations). I have tweaked Cuthbert’s translation in a few places for greater accuracy, and in a couple of places so it sounds better to my ears.
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Provençal carol attributed to Émile Blémont (16th C.)
English words adapted from a translation by Edward Cuthbert Nunn (1868-1914)
1. Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Bring a torch, and quickly run.
Come see Jesus, good folk of the village
Christ is born, and Mary’s calling.
Ah! Ah! beautiful is the mother,
Ah! Ah! beautiful is her child.
2. It is wrong when babies are sleeping,
It is wrong to talk so loud.
Stop your talking one and all!
Lest this noise should waken Jesus.
Hush! Hush! quietly now he slumbers,
Hush! Hush! quietly now he sleeps.
3. Who comes there, who’s knocking so loudly?
Who comes there, who knocks on the door?
Open wide! for I bear a basket
Filled high with cakes, which I have brought here.
Knock! Knock! let us inside the stable!
Knock! Knock! so we can celebrate!
4. Softly, come and enter the stable;
Softly, come for just a short while.
Go and see, how charming is Jesus!
Brown is his brow, his cheeks are rosy!
Oh! Oh! see how the child is sleeping,
Oh! Oh! see how he smiles and dreams.
French words:
1. Un flambeau, Jeanette Isabelle,
Un Flambeau, courons au berceau.
C’est Jésus, bonnes gens du hameau,
Le Christ est né, Marie appelle:
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que la mère est belle,
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que l’enfant est beau.
2. C’est un tort quand l’Enfant someille
C’est un tort de crier si fort.
Taisez-vous l’un et l’autre d’abord!
Au moindre bruit Jésus s’éville.
Chut! Chut! Chut! Il dort à merveille!
Chut! Chut! Chut! Ivoyez comme il dort.
3. Qui vient là , frappant de la sorte?
Qui vient là , frappant comme ça?
Ouvrez donc! J’ai posé sur un plat
De bons gâteaux qu’ici j’apporte.
Toc! Toc! Toc! Ouvrez-nous la porte!
Toc! Toc! Toc! Faisons grand gala!
4. Doucement dans l’étable close,
Doucement venez un moment.
Approchez, que Jésus est charmant!
Comme il est blanc, comme il est rose!
Do! Do! Do! que l’Enfant repose!
Do! Do! Do! qu’il rit en dormant!
Final notes: Although it seems to me that “flambeaux” could also be translated as “candlesticks,” that just won’t scan. And it’s still a little ragged — your editing will be appreciated.
