A Visit from St. Nicholas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all
through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even
a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the
chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would
be there.
The children were nestled all snug
in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced
in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in
my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long
winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose
such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what
was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like
a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up
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. Nick.
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, Donner
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 toys, and St.
Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on
the roof
The prancing and pawing of each
little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was
turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with
a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head
to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with
ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung
on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just
opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples
how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, 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 stump of a pipe he held tight in
his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head
like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little
round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a
bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right
jolly old elf,
And I laughed 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 all the stockings, then turned
with a jerk.
And laying his finger 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!"
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all
through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even
a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the
chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would
be there.
The children were nestled all snug
in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced
in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in
my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long
winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose
such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what
was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like
a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up
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. Nick.
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, Donner
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 toys, and St.
Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on
the roof
The prancing and pawing of each
little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was
turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with
a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head
to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with
ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung
on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just
opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples
how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, 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 stump of a pipe he held tight in
his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head
like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little
round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a
bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right
jolly old elf,
And I laughed 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 all the stockings, then turned
with a jerk.
And laying his finger 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!"
by Henry Livingston, Jr. (1823) *
Footnote …
A Christmas poem both in German and English …
When it was translated from the English to German in 1947 by Erich Kastner the lines in italics were not included. The reindeer names Donner and Blitzen are those used by Kastner.
*see this Web link - http://german.about.com/library/blkaestner_nikolaus.htm.
*see this Web link - http://german.about.com/library/blkaestner_nikolaus.htm.
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