'Twas the Night Before Christmas, on the Farm

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all of the sheep

Were tucked in their hay-covered beds, fast asleep

All except one little lamb named Lily

Who often got scolded for being so silly

The first to run out, the last to come in

Lily thought life without fun was a sin

She skipped through the fields and climbed on the rock

She never came home until five o’clock

Each night when the sun said goodnight in the West

Donkey knew Lily would give him a test

She’d hide in the fencerow behind a thick bush

Donkey would have to kick and push

Through thickets and thorns to find the wee thing

And soon as he did, Lily would sing

She’d bleat and she’d baa in terror and glee

Dart through his legs and off she would flee

To the barn where her worried mother stood

Snorting and stamping one little hoof

Into her pen Lily would race

Laughing as Donkey gave up his chase.

But on that December 24,

Donkey returned alone to the door

He looked at the ewe and shook his big head

The look that he gave her filled her with dread

A coyote was seen early that day

Stalking and searching out his prey

The wild dogs often came back at night

To catch what they saw during daylight

“I can’t find your Lily,” said the old beast

“Oh dear,” said the ewe, and she looked to the East

The coyotes’ song hung in the air

So eerie but sweet, it gave them a scare

And then, a flash of something so white

Dashed into the barn like a shooting star bright

Lily! The barn cat started his hissing

And mother ewe noticed something was missing

Lily had returned without fail

But somehow she had lost her tail!

Out in the dark, a coyote or fisher

Had tried to steal the lamb but had missed her

All Lily wanted to do was play

But she almost lost her life that day

As Donkey trudged back up the hill

To watch the farm by night

He thought of Lily – now she’s Lil

Who’d given them such a fright

The sun rose high on Christmas morn

As the animals gathered ‘round

To see what the Farmwife was placing on the ground

The scent of molasses filled the air – a very special treat

For animals in wintertime, a snack that is so sweet

But when she looked around she saw that something was amiss

She scooped up the smallest lamb and gave her a big kiss

“Oh my,” she scolded, “come on now, you’ll have your very own pail.”

“It seems that someone in the night has stolen your wee tail.”

Donkey started to wind up his own familiar song

And soon his bray was ringing out, like a bell so strong

“Hee haw, hee haw,” he sang, loud and clear

And all around the barnyard, coyotes shook with fear

The beast was declaring his watch over the sheep

All they had was one tail that they could keep

“I guess,” said the big dog, “we could eat mice,”

“They are here all around and they are very nice.”

And so, with Christmas, we marked one more year

Of life on the farm, which was safe without fear

“Watch out,” said Donkey to the lamb, “I want to be clear,”

“Listen to me or next time you will be missing an ear.”

Life on the farm is never boring

Animals do not rest

Farmers are awake at sunrise

Giving it their best

And so we want to send a wish

To all that may hear

To each Farmer, Merry Christmas

And to all a good year!

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