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The 19th-century hymn, Away in a Manger, is one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time. The lyrics centre on the adoration of the newborn baby Jesus, lying in a manger in the Bethlehem stable where he was born to Joseph and Mary. The narrator asks Jesus to "bless all the dear children" in his care. Voted the second most popular hymn in history in a Gallup poll, behind only Silent Night; Away in a Manger has a fascinating history, with its origins being the subject of much debate.   Hymn's origins The first known publication was on 2nd March 1882, in the Childrens' Corner section of the journal, The Christian Cynosure. For many years, the words were attributed to the German Protestant reformer, Martin Luther. Some early publications even named it "Luther's Cradle Hymn" or "Luther's Cradle Song", claiming the English lyrics had been translated from the original German version. This belief persisted into the early 20th century. However, this theory has now largely been discounted, as none of Luther's known writings correspond to the carol and no German text for the hymn has been discovered prior to 1934. The German lyrics seem awkward and appear to be a translation from English, rather than the other way round. Usually attributed to American writer William James Kirkpatrick and composer James Ramsey Murray; the hymn also appeared in the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday School collection, Little Children's Book for Schools and Families, in 1885, where the music was attributed to J E Clark.   Biblical inspiration The origins of the lyrics are a mystery, although we know their Biblical inspiration. Luke 2:7 described how Jesus was "laid in a manger" because there was "no place for them in the inn". Luke 2:12 says the baby is "wrapped in swaddling clothes". Swaddling was an ancient practice of wrapping babies in blankets or cloths that restricted their movement. It fell out of favour in the 17th century. The manger was the long trough in the stable that would contain horse or cattle feed. Bethlehem was filled to capacity due to an empire-wide census, which was why there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph.   Nativity scene The famous opening lines, "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head," described the scene after Jesus was born in the stable. In modern times, the manger has become central to the nativity scene during the Christmas season. The first bed of the Son of God wasn't a comfortable cradle - it was a feeding trough for animals, more used to holding hay or corn. In nativity plays, it is traditional for Mary, Joseph and the Three Wise Men to be depicted standing around the manger, looking down on baby Jesus.   Modern mangers While people might associate mangers with Biblical times, they are still used today in livestock farming and can be found at stables and farms. They can also be used to feed wild animals in a nature reserve, or to hold drinking water for farm and domestic animals. While we may never know definitively who wrote Away in a Manger, we can still feel inspired by the message behind the hymn, as it tells of the humble birth of the greatest man who ever lived.