Читать книгу Best Loved Christmas Carols, Readings and Poetry - Martin Manser - Страница 19

This old English carol is traditionally sung as the main dish (a wild boar’s head) is brought in during the Christmas feast at Queen’s College, Oxford. It has remained in use, sung to a tune written as late as 1901, despite the fact that wild boars became extinct in England by the end of the seventeenth century.

The boar’s head in hand bear I,

Bedecked with bays and rosemary;

And I pray you my masters be merry,

Quot estis in convivio.

Caput apri defero

Reddens laudes Domino.

The boar’s head, as I understand,

Is the bravest dish in all the land

When thus bedecked with a gay garland;

Let us servire cantico.

Our steward hath provided this

In honour of the King of Bliss,

Which on this day to be served is

In Reginensi Atrio.

Anonymous