One Christmas Eve, when Santa Claus
Came to a certain house,
To fill the children's stockings there,
He found a little mouse.
"A merry Christmas, little friend,"
Said Santa, good and kind.
"The same to you, sir!" said the mouse,
"I thought you wouldn't mind
If I should stay awake to night,
And watch you for a while."
"You're very welcome, little mouse,"
Said Santa, with a smile.
And then he filled the stockings up,
Before the mouse could wink,--
From toe to top, from top to toe,
There wasn't left a chink.
"Now, they won't hold another thing,"
Said Santa Claus with pride.
A twinkle came in mousie's eyes,
But humbly he replied:
"It's not nice to contradict--
Your pardon I implore,--
But in the fullest stocking there,
I could put one thing more."
"Oh, ho!" laughed Santa, "silly mouse!
Don't I know how to pack?
By filling stockings all these years,
I should have learned the knack."
And then he took the stocking down
From where it hung so high,
And said: "Now put in one thing more;
I give you leave to try."
The mousie chuckled to himself,
And then he softly stole
Right to the stocking's crowded toe,
And gnawed a little hole!
"Now, if you please, good Santa Claus,
I've put in one thing more;
For you will own, that little hole
Was not in there before."
How Santa Claus did laugh and laugh;
And then he gaily spoke;
"Well, you shall have a Christmas cheese,
For that nice little joke."