Santa Claus and the Mouse

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 awhile."

"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 mouse's eyes.

But humbly he replied:

"It's not polite 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."

If you don't think this story true,

Why! I can show to you

The very stocking with the hole

The little mouse gnawed through.