Jesous Ahatonhia
Father Jean de Brébeuf


Estennialon de tsonoue
Jesous ahtonhia
Omnaouateoua d'oki
N'onouandaskouaentak
Ennonchien skouatrihotat
N'onouandilonrachatha
Jesous ahtonhia

The Huron Carol
Father Jean de Brébeuf


'Twas in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead
Before their light the stars grew dim
And wand'ring hunters heard the hymn
Jesus your King is born
Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria!

Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapped his beauty 'round
And as the hunter braves drew nigh
The angel song rang loud and high
Jesus your King is born
Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria!

The earliest moon of wintertime
Is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on
The helpless infant there
The chiefs from far before him kelt
With gifts of fox and beaver pelt
Jesus your King is born
Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria!

O children of the forest free
O sons of Manitou
The Holy Child of earth and heaven
Is born today for you
Come kneel before the radiant boy
Who brings you beauty, peace and joy
Jesus your King is born
Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria!









Jésus est né
Father Jean de Brébeuf


Chrétiens, prenez courage
Jésus Sauveur est né
Du malin les ouvrages
Ajamais sont ruinés
Quand il chante merveille
A ces troublants appas
Ne pretez plus l'oreille
Jésus est né, in excelsis gloria! 

Oyez cette nouvelle
Dont un ange est portuer
Oyez, âmes fidèles
Et dilatez vos coeurs
La Vierge dans l'étable
Entoure de ses bras
L'Enfant-Dieu adorable
Jésus est né, in excelsis gloria! 

Voici que trois Rois Mages
Perdus en Orient
Déchiffrent ce message
Ecrit au firmament
L'astre nouveau les hante
Ils la suivrant là-bas
Cette étoile marhante
Jésus est né, in excelsis gloria! 

Jésus leur met en tête
Que L'Etoile en la nuit
Qui jamais ne s'arrête
Les conduira vers Lui
Dans las nuit radieuse
En route ils son déjà
Ils vont l'âme joyeuse
Jésus est né, in excelsis gloria!

Pour l'enfant qui repose
Dans un petit berceau
Humblement ils déposent
Hommages et cadeaux
Comme eux, l'âme ravie
Chrétiens, suivons ses pas
Son amour nous convie
Jésus est né, in excelsis gloria!

Midi sequenced by Barry Taylor

Three chiefs present fox and beaver pelts to an infant wrapped in a ragged robe of rabbit skin in J. E. Middleton's 1926 interpretation of the first Canadian carol. The original, "Jesus Ahatonhia (Jesus Is Born)", was written in the Huron language about 1640 by Jesuit Father Jean de Brébeuf to describe the Nativity in terms his Indian flock would understand. Set to an old French tune, it was sung at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons (at present-day Midland, Ont.) until 1649, when Iroquois raiders destroyed the entire Jesuit mission in Huronia and killed Brébeuf. The carol he wrote remained part of Huron tradition for those tribesmen who escaped to Quebec, and it was being sung there by their descendants 100 years later. Written down by another Jesuit, the hymn was translated into French and English. Middleton's version is widely known today.

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