'How Far is it to Bethlehem?'...

This will be my final post before Xmas. This year I thought that my Festive contribution should be something a little bit more uplifting than Grizzlebeard's earnest wish that all his enemies might go to hell!

Frances Chesterton (1875-1938) was the wife of GK. She wrote a charming piece called 'How Far is it to Bethlehem', which has become a much loved Christmas Carol. It was originally written in 1917 and printed on Gilbert and Frances’ Christmas card to family and friends that year. It was then set to traditional English music and published by Novello & Co. in 1922. It's probably her most lasting legacy:

How far is it to Bethlehem?

    Not very far.

Shall we find the stable room

    Lit by a star?

Can we see the little child,

    Is he within?

If we lift the wooden latch

    May we go in?

May we stroke the creatures there,

    Ox, ass, or sheep?

May we peep like them and see

    Jesus asleep?

If we touch his tiny hand

    Will he awake?

Will he know we've come so far

    Just for his sake?

Great kings have precious gifts,

    And we have naught,

Little smiles and little tears

    Are all we brought.

For all weary children

    Mary must weep.

Here, on his bed of straw

    Sleep, children, sleep.

God in his mother's arms,

    Babes in the byre,

Sleep, as they sleep who find

    Their heart's desire.

Here it is sung by the Choir of Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.