'Twas the Night (for pictures)

I thought that a pictorial delivery of this folktale would be nice for Christmas Day.

First, we have some imagined musical accompaniment!

Now we shall begin:

... and all through the house...

And mama in her kerchief...

...and I in my cap,

When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter...

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.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys and Saint 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 hand, 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,

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 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!”

Feel free to share the tale with someone else!