Coventry Carol

The Coventry Carol is a poignant and haunting medieval Christmas carol, sung from the perspective of mothers lamenting the massacre of the Innocents as ordered by King Herod. This event, described in the Gospel of Matthew, tells of Herod's command to kill all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to eliminate the prophesied King of the Jews—Jesus. The carol mourns the plight of the "little tiny child" while expressing sorrow and helplessness in the face of such tragedy. Its melancholy tone reminds listeners of the darker aspects of the Christmas story, emphasizing themes of sacrifice, loss, and the hope of salvation through Christ.