# The Carnal and the Crane

(The) Carnal and the Crane (= “Il corvo (?) e la gru”) è una tradizionale canzone natalizia inglese e una child ballad (N° 55) di autore anonimo, rinvenuta in manoscritti della metà del XVIII secolo, ma di origini forse ben più antiche. L'arrangiamento più comune è quello del compositore britannico Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958).
La parola carnal del titolo non è mai stata chiarita, ma si pensa comunemente che si possa riferire ad un uccello, forse ad un corvo. Il brano sembra infatti ricollegarsi ad un'antica leggenda, diffusa in tutt'Europa, in cui una gru racconta a un corvo la Nascita di Gesù..

## Testo

Il testo, che si compone di 30 strofe (di 4 versi ciascuna), è di carattere religioso e parla di un uomo che si ferma vicino ad un fiume ad ascoltare il dialogo tra due uccelli, una gru (crane) e un corvo (carnal ?), che discorrono sugli eventi relativi alla Nascita di Gesù, dal parto di Maria nella mangiatoia fino all'arrivo dei Magi, alla Strage degli Innocenti voluta da Erode e la Fuga in Egitto:
As I pass'd by the river side, And there as I did reign [run], In argument I chanced to hear A Carnal and a Crane.
The Carnal said unto the Crane, If all the world should turn, Before we had the Father, But now we have the Son!
From whence does the Son come, From where and from what place? He said, In a manger, Between an ox and ass.
I pray thee, said the Carnal, Tell me before thou go, Was not the mother of Jesus Conceived by the Holy Ghost?
She was the purest virgin, And the cleanest from sin; She was the handmaid of our Lord And Mother of our king.
Where is the golden cradle That Christ was rocked in? Where are the silken sheets That Jesus was wrapt in?
A manger was the cradle That Christ was rocked in: The provender the asses left So sweetly he slept on.
There was a star in the West land, So bright it did appear, Into King Herod's chamber, And where King Herod were.
The Wise Men soon espied it, And told the King on high A princely babe was born that night No king could e'er destroy.
If this be true, King Herod said, As thou tellest unto me, This roasted cock that lies in the dish Shall crow full fences three.
The cock soon freshly feathered was By the work of God's own hand And then three fences crowed he In the dish where he did stand
Rise up, rise up, you merry men all, See that you ready be; All children under two years old Now slain they all shall be. Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary, that was so pure, They travell'd into Egypt, As you shall find it sure.
And when they came to Egypt's land, Amongst those fierce wild beasts, Mary, she being weary, Must needs sit down to rest.
Come sit thee down, says Jesus, Come sit thee down by me, And thou shalt see how these wild beasts Do come and worship me.
First, came the lovely lion, Which Jesus's grace did spring, And of the wild beasts in the field The lion shall be king.
We'll choose our virtuous princes Of birth and high degree, In every sundry nation, Where'er we come and see.
Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary, that was unknown, They travelled by a husbandman, Just while his seed was sown-
God speed thee, man! said Jesus, Go fetch thy ox and wain, And carry home thy corn again Which thou this day hast sown.
The husbandman fell on his knees, Even upon his face: Long time hast thou been looked for, But now thou art come at last.
And I myself do now believe Thy name is Jesus called; Redeemer of mankind thou art, Though undeserving all.
The truth, man, thou hast spoken, Of it thou may'st be sure, For I must lose my precious blood For thee and thousands more.
If any one should come this way, And enquire for me alone, Tell them that Jesus passed by As thou thy seed did sow.
After that there came King Herod, With his train so furiously, Enquiring of the husbandman Whether Jesus passed by.
Why, the truth it must be spoke, And the truth it must be known; For Jesus passed by this way When my seed was sown.
But now I have it reapen, And some laid on my wain, Ready to fetch and carry Into my barn again.
Turn back, says the Captain, Your labor and mine's in vain; It's full three quarters of a year Since he his seed has sown.
So Herod was deceived, By the work of God's own hand, And further he proceeded Into the Holy Land.
There's thousands of children young Which for his sake did die; Do not forbid those little ones, And do not them deny.
The truth now I have spoken, And the truth now I have shown; Even the Blessed-Virgin She's now brought forth a son.