DF_Night_before_Christmas
Twas the eve of the solstice, and all across the land,
Winter held the world in its cold icy hand.
We were nearly snowed in, but we had plenty to eat,
And my Fortress Management job is never complete.
Three chairs for the captain! Four barrels for seeds!
Five fine restraints to be made from rope reeds!
The last order signed, I lay down my head
With one final admiring thought for my +Bed+.
When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter,
I cancelled my sleep to see what was the matter!
And what to the sentry's eyes had appeared,
But a wagon train drawn by eight stray tame reindeer.
More rapid than Giant Eagles, his draft animals came,
And in some foreign tongue he called them by name.
As if by strange magic, they flew over the snow,
Like the mounts of the Wizards that died out long ago.
Could goblins wear clothes of redroot-dyed fur?
We lost a woodcutter last winter. You can't be too sure.
I roused a few guards, and hurriedly dressed,
and opened the Trade Depot for our wintry guest.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his toes,
A luxurious beard flowed from under his nose.
I knew in a flash he was no tree-hugging elf,
And I smiled when I saw him in spite of myself.
I laid out our finest goods where he could see,
But he said, "I'm not trading. My gifts are for free."
And I remembered then, in the Mountainhome halls,
A story of a gift-giver, engraved on the walls.
"I've heard of your legend. But we have no use for toys."
He said, "I save those for good Human girls and boys.
For dwarves I have something I know you can use,"
And he uncovered the wagons to reveal a mountain of booze.
The dwarves, they rejoiced! They danced with delight!
They called for a Party and got properly tight!
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to Toady One, and to all a good night!"
Right, now to stop playing DF and buy presents.
edit: Thanks to all posters below for the warm response.