After Dorothy Sayers - Timur Kibirov

In the night, the dumb ox lowed to the donkey:
"Can you hear, brother, the sounds from the valley,
            the neighs and the horseshoes' clang?
From magical lands, from the edge of the world,
wise magi hasten and kings gallop toward us
            to bow to the King of Kings!
But before all the rest of them, I—a silly,
            dawdling ox—bowed to Our Child!"

In the night, the lop-eared donkey cried out:
"Look at all the angels up there, brother ox,
            who have lit up the midnight darkness!
For this one and only time, this joyful time,
the Heavenly Powers have come together
             in the sky to sing His praises!
But before them all, I—a stubborn old ass—
             have already praised Our Child!

Glory to God in the highest! Hee-haw, hee-haw!
Glory, glory to the Child in the manger!"

---

Timur Kibirov (Born 1955) Russia
Translated by Jamie Olson