A Tale of the Olden Time

I’ll tell you a tale of the old­en time

While the yule log burns bright

And the church bells chime.

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

There sat a fair prin­cess

In joy on her throne

And there in her arms

Her in­fant was shown:

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

The beasts of the mea­dows

Bowed down their head

All un­der the moon­light

So soft­ly shed.

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

They wor­shiped the King

Of cre­ation there

In the arms of the mo­ther

So pass­ing fair.

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

O who are these mas­ters

Of an­cient mould?

O these are the shep­herds

The lords of the fold;

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

They have heard from the sky

Of the birth of their king

They have heard all the sky

With the har­mo­ny ring.

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

The kings of the east

In num­ber three

All wor­ship the Mo­narch

Of high de­gree;

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

Their trib­ute they of­fer

Their heads they bow

And clear­er and clear­er

Is ec­ho­ing now

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

For all the ze­nith

Is blaz­ing with light

And mu­sic­al voices

Enrapture the night:

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.

O this is the car­ol

Of peace and good­will

From the voic­es ce­les­ti­al

The ze­nith that fill;

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis

Gloria in ex­cel­sis Deo.