Andy Davis found the Catalonian carol Cold December, with its first two verses, in The International Book of Christmas Carols. We adapted the English text to correspond to the original Catalan rhyming pattern. Our friend Susan Digiacomo, Professor of Anthropology at Universitat Rovira in Barcelona, sent us translations of two other verses, one of which we also adopted.
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Cold December’s winds were stilled in the month of snowing
As the world fell dark one night springtime’s hopes were growing
Then one rose tree blossomed new
One sweet flower on it grew
Ah the ro- ro- rose, ah the tree, tree, tree
Ah the rose, ah the tree, ah the rose tree blooming
Sweet the air perfuming
When the darkness fell that night bringing sweet reposing
All the land was hid from sight, sleep our eyes was closing
Suddenly there came a gleam
From the sky a wondrous beam
O the star, star, star, O the li- li- light
O the star, O the light, O the starlight glowing
Brightness ever growing
Happiness and love come in to our celebration
When the Holy Child was born on this glad occasion
If we have no gifts to bring
Raise an anthem to our King
With a joy, joy, joy, with a ful, ful ful
With a joy, with a ful, with a joyful singing
To the heavens ringing
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