Twas the night before Greedmas
'Twas the night before Greedmas, when all through the Devil's Nest
Not a chimera was stirring, not even a mouse;The stockings were hung by the bar with care,In hopes that St. Greed soon would be there;
Dorochetto, Roa, Martel, and Bido were nestled all snug in their beds,While dreams danced in their heads;And Zolf in his bed, and I in my P.J.'s,Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the to the stairs I flew like a flash,Tore open the bedroom door and ran down in a dash.
Down the chimney St. Greed came with a bound.
He was dressed in furry vest, leather pants to his hips to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of liquior and toy's he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a sinner just opening his pack.
His violet eyes - how they twinkled!
And the spik of his hair was as black as the night;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a snake swallowing its tail;
He had a broad face and a six pack belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was muscle and plump, a right jolly old sin,
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 minons 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 Greedmas to all, and to all a good-night."