A Visit from St Nicholas English Reader Free Audiobook Public Domain Tale Teller Library.

a visit from saint nicholas by clement clarke moore read for librivox.org by anne chang it was the night before christmas when all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that sir nicholas soon would be there the children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads and when mama and her kerchief and i in my cap had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap when out in the lawn there rose such a clutter i sprang from my bed to see what was the matter away to the window i flew like a flash tore open the shutters and threw up the sash the moon on the breasts of the new fallen snow gave a luster of midday to objects below when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer with a little old driver so lively and quick i knew in a moment it must be saint nick more rapid than eagles his courses they came and he whistled and shouted and called them by name now dasher now dancer now prancer and dixon on comet on cupid on thunder and blitzen to the top of the porch to the top of the wall now dash away dash away dash away all as dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly when they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky so up to the house top the courses they flew with a sleigh full of toys and nicholas too and then in a twinkling i heard on the roof the prancing and pouring of each little hoof as i drew in my head and was turning around down that's chimney saint nicholas came with a bound he was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot a bundle of toys he had flung on his back and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack his eyes how they twinkled his dimples how merry his cheeks were like roses his nose like a cherry his drawn little mouth was drawn up like a bow and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow the stumpful pike he held tight in his teeth and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath he had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly he was chubby and plump a right jolly old elf and i laughed when i saw him in smite 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 to 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 team gave a whistle and away they all flew like the down of a thistle but i heard him exclaim air he drove out of sight merry christmas to all and to all a good night end of poem this recording is in the public domain