It was the night before Christmas. There was a Christmas tree in Jack's house. There was a Christmas tree in Jill's house. There were Christmas trees in all the houses.
"To-morrow will be Christmas," said Jill. "I am so glad."
"To-morrow will be Christmas," said Jack. "I am so glad. Are you glad, too, Baby?" But Baby did not say anything. Baby was too little to talk.
"You must go to sleep soon, Baby," said Jack. "Santa Claus will not come till you go to sleep." "You must go to sleep soon, too, Jack," said his mother. "Santa Claus will not come till you go to sleep."
There was a chimney in Jack's house. Jack hung up a big stocking by the chimney. Then he hung up a little stocking right by the big one. The little stocking was for Baby. Jack's mother put Baby to bed. Then Jack went to bed, too.
There was a chimney in Jill's house. But Jill did not hang her stocking by the chimney. She hung it on the foot of her bed. "I can get it before I get up," said Jill. Then Jill went to bed.
Soon Santa Claus came. He came to Jack's house. "Jack lives in this house," said Santa Claus. Santa took his pack on his back. He climbed up on top of the house. He looked down the chimney.
"I see Jack's stocking," he said. "I see Baby's stocking, too." So Santa Claus climbed down the chimney. There he was in Jack's house. He filled Jack's big stocking. He filled Baby's little stocking. Then up the chimney he climbed with his pack on his back.
There he was on top of the house. Down from the housetop he climbed. And then away and away he went.
Soon he came to Jill's house. "Jill lives in this house," said Santa Claus. So Santa Claus took his pack on his back. He climbed up on Jill's house. He looked down the chimney. But he did not see Jill's stocking. Santa Claus climbed down Jill's chimney. Now he was in Jill's house.
But he did not see Jill's stocking. It was not on the chimney. "Now where can Jill's stocking be?" said Santa Claus. "It must be on her bed." So Santa Claus looked on Jill's bed. There was the stocking. And there was Jill in the bed. But Jill did not see Santa Claus. Little Jill was asleep.
Santa Claus filled Jill's stocking. Then up the chimney he climbed with his pack on his back. Away and away he went to all the houses. Now his pack was just a little one. Then away and away he went to his own house. And there in his own house Santa Claus went to bed, too.