'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHANUKAH...
OY! WHAT A
SHOCK!
SOMEBODY OUTSIDE
WAS PICKING OUR LOCK!
AND THERE AT THE DOOR
STOOD A 'ZAYDA' IN BLUE-
AND HE
WORE ON HIS KUPP
A BLUE YARMULKA, TOO!
HIS PUNIM WAS SHAIN-
EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE IT!
'ROUND
HIS NECK HUNG A CHAIN
WITH A GOLD MOGEN DOVID!
HE WORE SILKEN TSITZES
BENEATH HIS WOOL VEST,
AND A
SMALL FLAG OF ISRAEL
WAS DRAPED ON HIS CHEST!
HE SAID: "I'M NO BURGLAR,
SO PLEASE DON'T BE
NERVOUS.
I'M THE SPIRIT OF CHANUKAH,
HERE AT OUR SERVICE!"
"MENCHEN ALL CALL ME
'REB' SHALOM SHAPIRO!
WITHOUT
ME, THIS YOM-TOV
MIGHT NEED A NEW 'HERO!'"
"I VISIT ALL YIDLACH,
AND BRING - KINNAHORRA-
GOOD
FORTUNE AS BRIGHT
AS A GLOWING MENORAH!"
"ICH SHLEPP LOTS OF BLESSINGS
AND CHANUKAH GELT,
AND
JOYS THAT ARE TAKKA
THE BEST IN DER VELT!"
"IF YOU KNOW NICE MENCHEN,
I'LL VISIT THEM QUICK,
AND
I'LL BRING THEM GEZUNT
AND A HOUSEFUL OF GLICK!"
SO WE SENT HIM TO YOUR HOUSE,
AND SHOOK HANDS AND
PARTED.
HE SHOUTED, "SHALOM!"
OUT THE DOORWAY HE DARTED!
HE RAN TO A WAGON
WITH HORSES AHEAD.
HE FED THEM SOME
BAGELS,
AND HERE'S WHAT HE SAID:
"LET'S GO, MOISH AND MENDEL!
MAKE QUICK, MOE AND
YUSSLE!
PLEASE GIVE A RUSH, MALKAH!
HEY, HYMIE, PLEASE HUSTLE!"
THEN THEY RACED LIKE THE WIND!
AND THEY GALLOPED SO
SHNELL,
ALL HIS CLOTHING BLEW OFF,
AND HIS GATKES AS WELL!
SOON HE WAS SO KALT
THAT HIS TUSHIE TURNED BLUISH!
HE
MOANED AND HE HOLLERED
IN ENGLISH AND JEWISH!
SO, DON'T ACT EMBARRASSED,
AND PLEASE DON'T BE
RUDE
WHEN THAT FROSTBITTEN ZAYDA
ARRIVES IN THE NUDE!
QUICK! WRAP HIM IN BLANKETS!
DON'T BEAT 'ROUND THE
BUSH'!
AND TIE A HOT WATER BAG
ON HIS COLD TUSH!
QUICK! FEED HIM SOME CHICHEN SOUP
HEISS AS CAN
BE!
AND GIVE HIM SOME SHNAPPS
AND A GLEZ'L HOT TEA!
'CAUSE HE BRINGS YOU A HOUSEFUL
OF CHANUKAH WISHES
AS
WARM AND GESHMOCK
AS PLATE OF HOT KNISHES!
AND HE BRINGS THEM FROM OUR HOUSE
SO FRIENDLY AND
BRIGHT,
SO YOUR HOUSE WILL KEEP GLOWING
WITH CHANUKAH LIGHT.
PLUS JOY SWEET AS TSUKKER,
AND PEACE AND
GOOD-CHEER
AND EVERYTHING FRAYLACH
EACH DAY OF THE YEAR!
AND NONE IN YOUR FAMILY
WILL BE A SHLEMAZEL,
FOR LIFE
WILL BRING EACH OF YOU
SIMCHAS AND MAZEL!
AND ALL THROUGH THE FUTURE
YOUR HOPES WILL COME
TRUE,
AND HIMMEL WILL BLESS
YOUR MISHPOKHA AND
YOU!!!