24/12/2023
I’ve been quiet lately but I thought you guys might appreciate this I pulled together a couple years ago.
A Visit from St. Nichorat
Based on “ A vist from St. Nicholas” By Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were round the cages with care,
In hopes that St. Nichorat soon would be there;
The kittens were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of yoggies danced in their heads;
And mamma in her hammock, and I in my nest,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's rest,
When out in the rat room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the shelf I flew in a jiff,
Hung on the cage bars and gave a great sniff.
The moon on the floor glanced off new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes arrive with a flap,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-bats,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than hawks his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and V***n!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the cage! to the top of the wall!
Now flap away! flap away! flap away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the cagetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nichorat too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the bars
The prancing and tapping of each little claw.
As I drew in my whiskers, and was turning around,
Down the tunnel St. Nichorat came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his butt,
And his fur was all tarnished with dust balls and fluff;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his whiskers, how merry!
His cheeks were all fluffy, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the fur on his chin was as white as the snow;
The piece of banana he held tight in his teeth,
And his ears, they encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old rat,
And I laughed when I saw him, with his bright red hat;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his ear
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to fear;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled 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 squeak,
And away they all flew with a mighty great leap.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
🎄
