IT WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a fert' chasing mouse;
The stockings were hidden by the chimney with care,
In hopes that ST. FERRET soon would be there; __
The kits were nestled all snug under the beds, ._.. D_____
While visions of sugared raisins danced in their heads; \___/ \____
/_/---_/\____>
And Jilly in her hammock, and I in my Krinkle-sack,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, _
I sprang from my sack to see what was the matter. _____C .._.
Away to the window I flew like a flash, ____/ \___/
Scrabbled under the shutters and then the sash. <____/\_---\_\
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Fert.
Y_Y Y_Y Y_Y Y_Y\|/
__oo_C .._. __oo_C .._. __oo_C .._. __oo_C .._o--
=====/==||=\___/===/==||=\___/===/==||=\___/===/==|| \___/|\
<____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now,
PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, '\
With the sleigh full of kibble, and St. Ferret too. /_|o
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof (__)
The prancing and pawing of each little foot. ._.. D_____
As I drew in my paw, and was turning around, \___/ \____
Down the chimney St. Ferret came with a bound. /_/---_/\____>
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his fur was all tarnished with dirt and soot;
A bundle of kibble he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dooks how merry!
His tail so bushy, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
?
The piece of a sock he held tight in his teeth, *****
A little piece chewed into a shape like a wreath; *****
He had a broad face and a little round belly, | |
That shook, when he dooked like a bowlful of jelly. | |
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, | |
And I dooked when I saw him, in spite of myself; | |
( \
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, \ \
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; \___)
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled and rehid all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his paw aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."
`.----. Y_Y Y_Y Y_Y Y_Y\|/
| \___. __oo_C .._. __oo_C .._. __oo_C .._. __oo_C .._o--
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___x____x___) <____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\<____/\_-o-\_\
+ ______
/#\ :\ ____\
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[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[\ XXXXXXX ________ / /\::::::::::::~~~~~~ ::::::::::::\
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(Ascii art tip: Use a fixed-width font like 'courier' for best viewing!)
-kim, pippi (the quick), atlas (the huge), jinx (the kissey), and
rosie (the white weasel of terror)
[Posted in FML issue 3271]
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