De chirren been nezzle good snug on
de flo',
An' Mama pass de pepper t'ru de crack on de do'.
Den Mama in de fireplace done roas'
us de ham,
Stir up de gumbo, an' make de baked yam.
Den out on de bayou dey got such a
clatter...
Make soun' like old Boudreaux done
fall off his ladder.
I run like a rabbit to got to de
do'...
Trip over de dawg an' fall on de
flo'!
As I look out de do' in de light o'
de moon, I t'ink,
"Manh, you crazy, or got ole too
soon."
Cuz dere on de bayou when I stretch
ma' neck stiff...
Dere's eight alligator a-pullin' de
skiff...
An' a little fat drover wit' a lone polein' stick...
I know r'at away got to be ole St.
Nick.
Mo' fas'er an' fas'er de 'gator dey
came. .
He whistle an' holler an' call dem by
name:
"Ha, Gaston! Ha, Tiboy! Ha, Pierre an' Alcee!
Gee, Ninette! Gee, Suzette! Celeste an' Renee!"
To de top o' de porch dem ole 'gator
clime!
Wit' de skiff full o' toy an' St.
Nicklus behin'.
Den on top de porch roof it soun'
like de hail
When all dem big 'gator done sot down
dey tail!
Den down de chimney he fell wit' a
bam...
An' St. Nicklus fall an' sit on de
yam!
"SACRE!" he axclaim "Ma pant got a
hole.
I done sot mase'f on dem red hot
coal!"
He got on his foots an' jump like a
cat...
Out to de flo' where he lan' wit' a
SPLAT!
He was dress in musk-rat from his
head to his foot
An' his clothes is all dirty wit'
ashes an' soot.
A sack full o' playt'ing he t'row on
his back.
He look like a burglar, an' dass fo'
a fack!
His eyes how dey shine...his dimple,
how merry!
Maybe he been drink de wine from
blackberry!
His cheek was like rose...his nose
like a cherry...
On secon' tought maybe he lap up de
sherry!
Wit' snow-white chin whisker an'
quiverin' belly,
He shook when he laugh like de
stromberry jelly!
But a wink in his eye...an' a shook
o' his head...
Make my confidance dat I soon got to
be scared.
He don' do no talkin'...gone straight
to his work...
Put playt'ing in sock an' den turn
wit' a jerk!
He put bot' his han' dere on top o'
his head,
He cas' an eye on de chimney an' den
he done said:
"Wit' all o' dat fire an' dem burnin'
hot flame...
Me I ain' goin' back by de way dat I
came."
So he run out de do' an' he clime to
de roof...
He ain' no fool, him for to make one
more goof.
He jump in his skiff an' crack his
big whip.
De 'gator move down an' don' make one
slip.
An' I hear him shout loud as a
splashin' he go:
