Granny’d sing us her Christmas carol, “Brightest and Best”

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on His Cradle the dew-drops are shining
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure;
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Shall we not yield Him in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountains and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?

“I guess Christmas is without a doubt the best time in the whole year, all around the world, for all folks who celebrate it, and in our family in Kentucky it must be better than any place else. I suppose every child must feel that way about his own home place and his family and their Christmases together. I can remember looking forward all year round to the happy time in December when all the scattered ones of us would gather in around our fireplace and sparkling tree. Just thinking about it would fairly send me out of my mind with joy and excitement.

“On Old Christmas Eve we’d sit fore the fire and Mom and Dad and Granny’d atell us about the baby Jesus born in a stable on this night, and they’d say that if we’d go out at midnight we’d see the elderberry bush blooming in the fence corner right in the snow, and that if we’d peep in through a chink in our stable and make no racket atall we’d see the cow and the old mule kneeling, paying honor to the little King of Kings. Then maybe Granny’d sing us her Christmas carol, “Brightest and Best,” in the old mountain tune, and we’d all sing some…That used to be our Christmas.”

Jean Ritchie, Singing Family of the Cumberlands
University Press of Kentucky, 1988

The youngest of the 14 children born to Balis and Abigail Ritchie of Viper in Perry County, Jean Ritchie (1922-2015) learned to play the dulcimer from her father. Discovered by band leader Mitch Miller, she later earned a degree in social work from UK, traveled to New York, and was recorded by folklorist Alan Lomax.

She performed across the U.S. and Europe and became an important figure in American folk music by 1955. Author of ten books and over 30 record albums, Ritchie revived interest in the mountain dulcimer and established herself as the instrument’s foremost player. 

As to the origin of the carol, Englishman Reginald Heber wrote “Brightest and Best” for the Feast of the Epiphany, and in 1811 published the hymn in the Christian Observer.

sources: www.richardandmimi.com/collaborators.html
www.ket.org/mountainborn/jeanritchie.htm
www.il.essortment.com/jeanritchiebio_rxrr.htm

More tales of Christmas:

Christmas Eve on Lonesome(Opens in a new browser tab)

Ms. Horse, Ms. Mule and Ms. Cow — a Christmas fable(Opens in a new browser tab)

The Holly Tree (a 4th century Christmas tale)(Opens in a new browser tab)

Christmas dawn was just breaking over the blue-hazed mountains(Opens in a new browser tab)