The Three Daughters

A Christmas Carol

A song lyric in honor of St. Nicholas Day, December 6. I wrote this some years ago and sing it to myself during the Christmas season. I have the tune for this in my head, a sort of descending scale in some minor key, but not having learned musical notation or how to play an instrument, my a cappella styling probably does not convey the tune properly so I will not attempt to reproduce it here. If anyone does want to create a tune for this text you are quite welcome to do so, so long as you change no words and give proper credit. So, for what it is worth, the Three Daughters Carol:

Nicholas of Myra walked through the dark streets
To seek out recipients of his good deeds.
He gave all his income to help out the poor
And sold his inheritance to give the more.

A cobbler's three daughters were modest and kind
But they could not marry: their dowries were gone.
Their father made shoes that were pleasant to wear
But he lost his fortune to illness and war.

He worked hard all day to take care of his own;
Made sandals at night for the poor who had none.
He mourned for his wife, to long illness succumbed,
And also his son, who had marched to his doom.

Three satchels made Nicholas, all filled with gold,
A daughter's initial on each one in bold.
Thrown into the house through a vent on the roof,
The daughters in wonder found them on the hearth.

The daughters rejoiced: they could marry their men.
They thought of their father and gave gold to him,
And also to charity willingly gave,
And still in their purses full dowries did have.

So think of the daughters at this time of year.
Be generous to everyone you hold dear,
And in your good cheer take a moment to make
A gift to the poor: for St. Nicholas' sake.