6 Dec. Sf Nicolaie

6 Dec. Sf. Nicolae,de Eric Crozier,

Libret pentru Cantata lui Benjamin Britten.

6th Dec. St. Nicolas, by Eric Crozier,
Libretto for Benjamin Britten's Cantata.

A captive at the heathen court
Wept sorely all alone.
"O, Nicolas is here, my son!
and he will bring you home!"

"Fill, fill my sack with corn," he said.
"We die from lack of food!"
And from that single sack he fed
A hungry multitude.

Three daughters of a nobleman
Were doomed to shameful sin,
Till our good Bishop ransomed them
By throwing purses in.

The gates were barred, the black flag flew,
Three men knelt by the block,
But Nicolas burst in like flame,
And stayed the axe's shock!

"O help us, good Nicolas!
Our ship is full of foam!"
He walked across the waves to them
And led them safely home.

He sat among the Bishops
who were summoned to Nicaea:
Then rising with the wrath of God
Boxed Arius's ear.

He threatened Constantine the Great
With bell and book and ban:
Till Constantine confessed his sins
Like any common man.

Let the legends that we tell,
Praise him with our prayers as well.
We keep his memory alive
In legends that our children and
Their children's children treasure still.

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