In Germany the _krippe_
is often combined with the Christmas-tree; at Treves, for instance, the
present writer saw a magnificent tree covered with glittering lights and
ornaments, and underneath it the cave of the Nativity with little figures
of the holy persons. Thus have pagan and Christian symbols met together.

* * * * *

There grew up in Germany, about the fourteenth century, the extremely
popular Christmas custom of "cradle-rocking," a response to the people's
need of a life-like and homely presentation of Christianity. By the
_Kindelwiegen_ the lay-folk were brought into most intimate touch with
the Christ Child; the crib became a cradle (_wiege_) that could be
rocked, and the worshippers were thus able to express in physical action
their devotion to the new-born Babe. The cradle-rocking seems to have
been done at first by priests, who impersonated the Virgin and St.
Joseph, and sang over the Child a duet:--

"Joseph, lieber neve min,
Hilf mir wiegen daz kindelin.

Gerne, liebe muome min,
Hilf ich dir wiegen din kindelin."[37]

[Illustration:

A NEAPOLITAN "PRESEPIO."

_Photo_] [_Meisenbach, Riffarth & Co., Munich_.]

|109| The choir and people took their part in the singing; and dancing,
to the old Germans a natural accompaniment of festive song, became common
around the cradle, which in time the people were allowed to rock with
their own hands.{47} "In dulci jubilo" has the character of a dance, and
the same is true of another delightful old carol, "Lasst uns das Kindlein
wiegen," still used, in a form modified by later editors, in the churches
of the Rhineland. The present writer has heard it sung, very slowly, in
unison, by vast congregations, and very beautiful is its mingling of
solemnity, festive joy, and tender sentiment:--

[Illustration: Music]

"Lasst uns das Kindlein wiegen,
Das Herz zum Krippelein biegen!
Lasst uns den Geist erfreuen,
Das Kindlein benedeien:
O Jesulein suess! O Jesulein suess!

* * * * *

Lasst uns sein Haendel und Fuesse,
Sein feuriges Herzlein gruessen!
Und ihn demuetiglich eren
Als unsern Gott und Herren!
O Jesulein suess! O Jesulein suess!"[38]{48}

Two Latin hymns, "Resonet in laudibus" and "Quem pastores
laudavere,"{49} were also sung at the _Kindelwiegen_, and |110| a
charming and quite untranslatable German lullaby has come down to us:--