One Christmas Eve when Santa Claus
  Came to a certain house.
To fill the children's stockings there
  He found a little mouse.

"A merry Christmas, little friend,"
  Said Santa, good and kind.
"The same to you, sir, said the mouse.
  "I thought you wouldn't mind

"If I should stay awake tonight
  And watch you for awhile."
"You're very welcome, little mouse,"
  Said Santa with a smile.

And then he filled the stocking up
  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:

"It's not polite to contradict
  Your pardon I implore.
But in the fullest stocking there
  I could put one thing more."

"Oh, ho," laughed Santa, "silly mouse"
  Don't I know how to pack?
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."

The mousie chuckled to himnself,
  And then he softly stole
Right to the stockings crowded toe
  And gnawed a little hole.

"Now, if you please, good Santa Claus,
  I've put in one thing more,
For you will own that little hole
  Was not in there before."

How Santa Claus did laugh and laugh!
  And then he gayly spoke,
"Well, you shall have a Christmas cheese
  For that nice little joke."