"Leaves that fall," whispered the Fir _Through the forest sing 'Nowell'!_ "I am winter's minister." _In Excelsis Gloria!_ Summer friends may come and go, _Up the mountain sing 'Nowell.'_ Love abides thro' storm and snow. _Down the valley, 'Gloria'!_
"On my boughs, on mine on mine," _Father and mother, sing 'Nowell'!_ "All the fruits of the earth shall twine." _Bending low with 'Gloria.'_ "Sword of wood and doll of wax" _Little children, sing 'Nowell.'_ "Swing on the stem was cleft with the axe!" _Craftsmen all, a 'Gloria.'_
"Hear! I have looked on the other side." _Out of the East, O sing 'Nowell'!_ "Because to live this night I died!" _Into the West with 'Gloria.'_ "Hear! In this lighted room I have found" _Ye that seek, O sing 'Nowell'!_ "The spell that worketh underground." _Ye that doubt, a 'Gloria.'_
"I have found it, even I," _Ye that are lowly, sing 'Nowell'!_ "The secret of this alchemy!" _Ye that are poor, a 'Gloria.'_ "Look, your tinsel turneth to gold." _Sing 'Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!'_ "Your dust to a hand for love to hold!" _In Excelsis Gloria._
"Lay the axe at my young stem now!" _Woodman, woodman, sing 'Nowell.'_ "Set a star on every bough!" _In Excelsis Gloria!_ "Hall and cot shall see me stand," _Rich and poor man, sing 'Nowell'!_ "Giver of gifts from Elfin-land." _Oberon, answer 'Gloria.'_
"Hung by the hilt on your Christmas-tree" _Little children, sing 'Nowell'!_ "Your wooden sword is a cross for me." _Emperors, a 'Gloria.'_ "I have found that fabulous stone" _Ocean-worthies, cry 'Nowell.'_ "Which turneth all things into one," _Wise men all, a 'Gloria.'_
"It is not ruby nor anything" _Jeweller, jeweller, sing 'Nowell'!_ "Fit for the crown of an earthly King:" _In Excelsis Gloria!_ "It is not here! It is not there!" _Traveller, rest and cry 'Nowell'!_ "It is one thing and everywhere!" _Heaven and Earth sing 'Gloria.'_
"It is the earth, the moon, the sun," _Mote in the sunbeam, sing 'Nowell'!_ "And all the stars that march as one." _In Excelsis Gloria!_ "Here, by the touch of it, I can see" _Sing, O Life, a sweet Nowell!_ "The world's King die on a Christmas-tree." _Answer, Death, with 'Gloria.'_
"Here, not set in a realm apart," _East and West are one 'Nowell'!_ "Holy Land is in your Heart!" _North and South one 'Gloria'!_ "Death is a birth, birth is a death," _Love is all, O sing 'Nowell'!_ "And London one with Nazareth." _And all the World a 'Gloria.'_