The Mouse Song
Norwegian Christmas Song
Original Norwegian text by Alf Prøysen, English version by Ivar Kalleberg,
Copyright English: Ivar Kalleberg, used with permission.
When nights are getting longer
And lakes will freeze to ice
Mother Mouse warns strongly
About a foul device:
"We must avoid the mouse trap
But there is naught to fear
We'll all be celebrating
At Christmas time this year "
Hydi and Hoodo and toodeladdelee
A Merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Mother Mouse is cleaning
Each ceiling and each wall
She wants a home that is cosy
When Christmas snow will fall
As young mice dance a polka
Their tails sweep out the place
A grubby house at Christmas
Is a positive disgrace.
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
And finally the evening
The youngsters all await
They know they'll have permission
To stay up very late
A toe-less boot is spruced up
With nails that they have found
And then some flimsy cobwebs
Which they can drape around
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Father Mouse now tells them
That they should form a ring
"Let's dance around this old boot
And hear our Granny sing
Each mouse should use its right paw
To take its neighbour's tail
Then listen as Old Granny
Sings a lovely Fairy tale"
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
They have for Christmas dinner
Smoked Arctic halibut
And then an old tradition
They share a hazel nut
There's sticky candy paper
A spicy Yuletide Ham
They all can savour its bouquet
And taste some apple jam
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Old Granny's Christmas Present
Is a brand-new rocking chair
A hollowed-out potato,
Which her kin have gnawed with flair
Now Granny starts her singing
The youngsters sing along
They always love to join her
In their favorite Christmas song
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Old Granny's getting tired
Soon comes the early dawn
As morning is approaching
She cannot help but yawn:
"Christmas is a lot of fun
For each and every mouse
Be careful of the mouse-traps
In this trap infested house".
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A Merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
The Father Mouse says, gravely,
"It's time to take a nap
Just dream about the Yuletide
And not that awful trap"
While Father Mouse is keeping watch
The children try to sleep
They hum some Christmas carols
Instead of counting sheep
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
Next year the Christmas season
Will come to you and me
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
Each year the Christmas Season
Brings Joy to you and me
And lakes will freeze to ice
Mother Mouse warns strongly
About a foul device:
"We must avoid the mouse trap
But there is naught to fear
We'll all be celebrating
At Christmas time this year "
Hydi and Hoodo and toodeladdelee
A Merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Mother Mouse is cleaning
Each ceiling and each wall
She wants a home that is cosy
When Christmas snow will fall
As young mice dance a polka
Their tails sweep out the place
A grubby house at Christmas
Is a positive disgrace.
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
And finally the evening
The youngsters all await
They know they'll have permission
To stay up very late
A toe-less boot is spruced up
With nails that they have found
And then some flimsy cobwebs
Which they can drape around
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Father Mouse now tells them
That they should form a ring
"Let's dance around this old boot
And hear our Granny sing
Each mouse should use its right paw
To take its neighbour's tail
Then listen as Old Granny
Sings a lovely Fairy tale"
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
They have for Christmas dinner
Smoked Arctic halibut
And then an old tradition
They share a hazel nut
There's sticky candy paper
A spicy Yuletide Ham
They all can savour its bouquet
And taste some apple jam
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Old Granny's Christmas Present
Is a brand-new rocking chair
A hollowed-out potato,
Which her kin have gnawed with flair
Now Granny starts her singing
The youngsters sing along
They always love to join her
In their favorite Christmas song
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
Old Granny's getting tired
Soon comes the early dawn
As morning is approaching
She cannot help but yawn:
"Christmas is a lot of fun
For each and every mouse
Be careful of the mouse-traps
In this trap infested house".
Hydi and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
A Merry Christmas season
Is good for you and me
The Father Mouse says, gravely,
"It's time to take a nap
Just dream about the Yuletide
And not that awful trap"
While Father Mouse is keeping watch
The children try to sleep
They hum some Christmas carols
Instead of counting sheep
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
Next year the Christmas season
Will come to you and me
Hydy and hoodoo and toodeladdelee
Each year the Christmas Season
Brings Joy to you and me