Jessie David of Allakaket is spreading Christmas cheer, rural Alaska style, with an updated version of Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”
In an email to the News-Miner, Jessie wrote, “My 3rd/4th class wrote this (collectively) then recited it at a village gathering. It was great! It was lost for 10 years. Smart kids came up with Athabascan words, and incorporated them into the poem. You’ll see the words on the side. I hope you can publish it.”
It’s published here as Jessie submitted it, with the translations for the Athabascan words in English in parenthesis.
’Twas the night before Christmas all the Indians were asleep and dreaming of fried moose meat.
The people were sleeping all snug in their fur while visions of rabbit soup caused them to stir. Wearing parka and warm socks on my feet, I had just closed my eyes for a good night’s sleep. Talk about the cold, nearly 55 below,
The silence was broken by a big “Ho, ho, ho.” Old Santa was busy with his sleigh and dog team harnessing the pooches with a shout and a scream. He shouted “Hawright!” and blasted out of North Pole, his leader wearing wool socks was a-earing to go.
Old Santa hung on tight as he careened around the bend, he dragged around the corner but kept a steady head. Now Alatna, now Huslia, now Hughes, now AK, on Galena, on Kobuk, he mushed his big sleigh flying through the trees to the top of the hill.
The big man streaked without even a spill out of my slumber the house shook with a bounce and shaking a leaf to the window I flounce. My eyeballs went spinning almost out of my head when I saw a big man all dressed in red.
Old Red fluttered about as he handled the gifts with great care, I held back my laugh as he leaped on tippy toes here and there. On his back he had a sack full of wonderful stuff that he looked like a hunter wearing a huge wolf ruff.
His ears how they fluttered, his belly how wiggly, his lips sang a lively tune as he reminded me of Miss Piggy. I yearned for a guitar as I heard his tune, it sounded so cool that I howled to the moon. The guy was so happy and all full of plump that I wanted to give his back a hearty thump.
I knew in an instant that kids loved him best all over the world and even a bird in his nest. Tis the season of happiness all over the Earth, old Santa is humble and full of worth. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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