Herod the curious Herod the curious Herod the curious was furious In his citadel on the hill Herod the jealous one Dying without a son Bade his soldiers drink his fill Herod the hideous Herod the hideous Herod the hideous, perfidious Lifted his demon voice, evil and shrill Loudly commanded them Go then to Bethlehem All the newborn babes to kill And the jackals cackled Chacka chaka chaka cha To think of such a lie That the promised King of Israel Was only born to die But the rooster keeping vigil In the first still light of morning Afar off saw a plume of dust And raised a din of warning in disgust A nightmare's coming true! An army is in view! King Herod does pursue! Herod vainglorious Herod vainglorious Herod vainglorious, victorious Lashed his horses in wild pursuit Closer and closer he came Hate burning like a flame Raised his spear in mock salute And out to the desolation Of the dawning desert waste They fled on a drowsy donkey In confusion yawning Even in their haste And the animals looked on As they faded in the dawn And suddenly were gone Which way to Egypt then? Which way to Egypt then? Which way to Egypt then? Joseph asked the donkey Lost in a storm of swirling sand As from his chariot Herod Iscariot Cast his eye across the land