Ding A. Ling

On the tip of the cap of the littlest elf
hung a jingle-y bell by a string ...
and THAT elf was known as,
by mail, or by phone, as
DING A. Ling, Mr. Ling ... or just DING.

Now, Ding was the busiest elf of them all.
he had worked close to Santa for weeks ...
because it was he
who'd been chosen, you see,
to head THE DEPARTMENT OF SQUEAKS.

"look here, Ding A. Ling," old Santa had said,
"These toy wagon squeaks are all wrong ...
so, take the squeaks out
and change them about
into PLASTIC DOLLS where they belong.

By late Christmas Eve Ding had finished his task,
each squeak in the place it should be ...
and the workshop, once more,
behind its closed door
was as quiet as any toy workshop could be.

Then Ding Ling, the small, tired elf, settled down
For a nap till the next Christmas season.
On the foot of his bed
Hung a big sign that said,
DON'T DISTURB WITHOUT VERY GOOD REASON.

But, as he was closing his two weary eyes,
He heard on the door a great pounding.
Lights flashed everywhere,
Elves ran here and there,
Spreading news that was simply ASTOUNDING!

On his rounds, Santa Claus had discovered
His left boot beginning to make
A SQUEAK of such SIZE
That it was no surprise
THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AWAKE!

Just at that moment there came into view
Poor flustered old Santa himself.
He said in great haste,
"I have no time to waste.
Where is Ding Ling, my squeak-expert elf?"

Ding hopped out of bed, and set to the task,
Working fast without ever a word . . .
'til, as proud as could be,
he struggled to free
THE BIGGEST SQUEAK HE EVER HEARD!

Santa looked wistfully down at his boot
And said, "It's a very strange thing
But, speaking quite freely,
It's a LOVELY squeak, really.
Don't throw it away, Ding A. Ling."

Now, to put a BOOT-SQUEAK in a small plastic doll
Was something Ding Ling wouldn't DARE.
So, what do you think -
But quick as a wink
HE POPPED THE SQUEAK INTO A BIG TEDDY BEAR!

Now, some EXTRA good boy,
Or some EXTRA good girl,
On Christmas may very well find
A teddy bear, cuddly and soft as could be . . .
BUT A SQUEAK OF THE BIG-BOOT KIND!

NEXT

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