Guest: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' Translated

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

It vas da nacht before Santa Clausen und all through the husens

Not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse;

No noise makin’schweinhunt

unmousen all qviet

The stockins were hung by the chimney with care

Oof-da schmnellley foot wearin up the fireplace hanging

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon

would be there;

Expecten gud old Nicholas would

quick be fillin’

The children were nestled all snug

in their beds

The kinderfolk vas restin qviet in dere

sleepin haven

While visions of sugar-plums danced

in their heads;

Und dreams of treats waltzing and

schottisching in der heads.

Had just settled our brains

for a long winter’s nap,

Not company expectin und ready for long vinter schnoozin

When out on the lawn there arose

such a clatter,

Vhen outsiden vas louden bangin

mit noisemakin

I sprang from my bed

to see what was the matter

Dere were a schmall sledden mit

eight trekken beasts

With a little old driver so lively and quick

Mitt olden elf driver, hoppin

and bouncin mit joy

I knew in a minute that he must

be St. Nick

I self-schmartin quicken dat it vas St. Nick

More rapid than eagles his coursers

they came

Lichety schplitten like eagles

his pullen beasts came

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name

Mit whistlin und shoutin,

und loud name callin

To the top of the porch!

To the top of the wall

To the rufftoppen the reindeer

trekken beasts came

So up to the housetop the coursers

they flew

To the rufftoppin the reindeer

trekken beasts went

With the sleigh full of toys,

and St. Nicholas, too

Haulin schleigh mit kindertings,

und olden Nick, too

And then, in a twinkling, I heard

on the roof

Und den, in a schplitten,

I vas haring on the housetoppen

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof

Shingle ripping und footstompin mit snorten

As I drew in my head,

and was turning around

My head I was in-pullin und vas turnin round

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came

with a bound

When down ze firechute came the

red scheinhundt

He spoke not a word,

but went straight to his work

He nay sprechen a verd

while verke not stoppin

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose

Made a head noddin

und up the smoke chute he flugen

He sprang to his sleigh,

to his team gave a whistle

He leaped on his schledder

un to his pullin beasts he tootled

And away they all flew like down

off a thistle

Und away they vas vamoosing,

lickety schplitten

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove

out of sight

Und I heard him schpiel-makin

as they flugen out of sight

Happy Christmas to all and to all

a good night

A knee schlapen yuletide to all,

und to all a gudt nacht.

By Clement Moore, edited