'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the crates
Not a Bullmastiff was stirring, Not even for baits.
The puppies were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of biscuits danced in their heads

The stockings were hung by a fireplace of stone
In hopes, they'd be filled with toys and lots of bones
Ma in her night shirt, And I in my robe
had just settled down, by the ol' woodstove

When out on the lawn, there arose such a commotion
I sprang from my chair to see why the dogs weren't in motion
Away to the wind I ran like a bullmastiff after a bear
And tore open the shade, to see who was there.

The moon on the top, Of the new fallen snow.
Gave the luster of doghair, to the ground below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight Bullmastiffs were near.

With a little 'ole handler, so poised and so jolly
I knew in a moment, 'twould not be a folly
More rapid than beagles, his charges they came
And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name

Now Angus, Now Beef, Now Boom, and Jessie
On Stella, On Sting, On Jeanne and Frankie!
To the top of the Doghouse, to the top of the wall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all

As the dry leaves that before, a running Bullmastiff fly
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With a sleigh full of pig ears and St. Nicholas, too

And then in an instant, I heard on the roof with it's ice beginning to thaw
The scratching and digging, of each fawn paw
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, but had not a care
For his clothes were all covered, with fawn and red hair
A bundle of toys, he had flung on his back
And he looked like a groomer, 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 on his chin, was as white as snow.

He had a broad little face, And a round little tummy
That wriggled when he laughed, like the tail of a puppy.
He was chubby and plump, A right jolly old boy
The dogs barked when they saw him for he had each a toy.

With a wink of his eye, and a twist of his head
He soon told the dogs, they had nothing to dread.
He spoke not another word, but went straight to his work
And filled all the stockings, and then he turned with a jerk.

And with a pat to each, big dog's nose
He giving a nod, and 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.

And I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight
"Happy Showing to all and to all a good night!"

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