’Twas the night before school,

And downstairs in the house,

Some wild creature was stirring;

Was it a bat or a mouse?

 

Trapped within the li’l wall

Between girls’ beds and bathroom,

This creature was restless,

Would the school day be doomed?

 

And Ma still up planning

With her nose in three books,

Sat frozen to her chair

Too afraid to go look.

 

But Pa with his courage

Went to investigate,

Thumping hard on the wall.

Oh, so what if it’s late?

 

The girls in their soft beds

Slept on – still unaware

Of the noisy creature

Who was certain to scare!

 

Early they all arose,

A new school year to start.

With fresh pencils and paper,

Story-writers take heart.­

 

To library Ma went

Toting students and books,

While the pest man and Pa

Searched the crannies and nooks.

 

Found still stuck in the wall

’Twas a mouse, not a bat.

Now Ma sits a-wonderin’

If she’s happy ’bout that.