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Twas
the night before Christmas,
An' all t'ru de house,
Dey don't a t'ing pass,
not even a mouse. |
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De
chirren been nezzle
good snug on de flo',
An' Mama pass de pepper
t'ru de crack on de do'. |
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Den
Mama in de fireplace
done roas' us de ham,
Stir up de gumbo,
an' make bake de yam. |
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Den
out on de bayou
dey got such a clatter...
Make soun' like old Boudreax
done fall of his ladder. |
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I
run like a rabbit
to got to de do'...
Trip over de dawg,
an' fall on de flo'! |
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Cuz
dere on de bayou
when I stretch ma' neck stiff...
Dere's eight alligator
a-pullin' de skiff... |
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An'
a little fat drover
wit' a long polein' stick...
I know r'at away
got to be ole St. Nick... |
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Mo'
fas'er an' fas'er
de 'gator dey came.
He whistle an' holler
an' call dem by name: |
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"Ha,
Gaston! Ha, Tiboy!
Ha, Pierre an' Alcee!
Gee, Ninette! Gee, Suzette!
Celeste an' Renee!" |
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"To
de top o' de porch
To de top o'de wall
Make crawl, alligator,
An' be sho' you don' fall." |
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Like
Tante Flo's cat
T'ru de treetop he fly
W'en de big ole houn' dorg
a run hisse'f by. |
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Like
dat up de porch
dem ole 'gator clime!
de skiff full o' toy
an' St. Nicklus behin'. |
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Den
on top de proch roof
it soun' like de hail
When all dem big 'gator
done sot down dey tail!--- |
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Den
down de chimney
he fell wit' a bam...
An'St. Nicklus fall
an' sit on de yam! |
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"SACRE!"
he axclaim
"Ma pant got a hole.
I done sot mase'f
on dem red hot coal!" |
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He
got on his foots
an' jump like a cat...
Out to de flo'
where he lan' wit' a SPLAT! |
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He
was dress in musk-rat
from his head to his foot
An' his clothes is all dirty
wit' ashes an' soot. |
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A
sack full o' playt'ing
he t'row on his back.
He look like a burglar,
an' dass fo' a fack! |
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His
eyes how dey shine...
his dimple, how merry!
Maybe he been drink
de wine from blackberry! |
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His
cheek was like rose...
his nose like a cherry...
On secon' tought
maybe he lap up de sherry!--- |
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Wit'
snow-white chin whisker
an' quiverin' belly,
He shook when he laugh
like de stromberry jelly! |
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But
a wink in his eye...
an' a shook o' his head...
Make my confidance dat
I don' got to be scared. |
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He
don' do no talkin'...
gone straight to his work...
Put playt'ing in sock
an' den turn wit' a jerk!
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He
put bot' his han'
dere on top o' his head,
He cas' an eye on de chimney
an' den he done said: |
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"Wit'
all o' dat fire
an' dem burnin' hot flame...
Me I ain' goin' back
by de way dat I came." |
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So
he run out de do
an' he clime to de roof...
He ain' no fool, him
for to make one more goof. |
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He
jump in his skiff
an' crack his big whip.
De 'gator move down
an' don' make one slip. |
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An'
I hear him shout loud
as a splashin' he go:
"Merry Christmas to all...
Till I saw you some mo'!" |
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