Came to a certain house,
To fill the children's stockings there,
He found a little mouse.
"The same to you, sir," said the mouse, "I thought you wouldn't mind,
If I should stay awake tonight and watch you for a while."
"You're very welcome, little mouse," said Santa, with a smile.
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:
But in the fullest stocking there, I could put one thing more."
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."
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'll agree that little hole was not in there before."
And then he gaily spoke,
"Well, you shall have a Christmas cheese
For that nice little joke!"
Why, I can show to you
The very stocking with the hole
The little mouse gnawed through!
"SPECIAL TREE"
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