HELP: Children's song about celia the mouse

[Jeff]

Grew up in Mahopac, NY. My sister played Celia in a musical play when our school (Lakeview) put it on. I was a year younger and helped her rehearse and still remember the words 30 years later (STILL looking for that last 2 verses or so though!)

Here is what my sister and I remember.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring but Celia the mouse.
She peeked through the packages under the tree
And found cherry gumdrops and ate 23.

Stuffed to the whiskers and round as a ball.
She could not fit back through the hole in the wall.
She was much to much mouse
To fit back in her house
Through the little mouse hole in the wall.

Oh poppa, cried Celia, What am I to do?
Big Nicolas the cat will be home before 2.
And If I don't shrink to the size I should be.
I shudder to think what will happen to me.

She shudders to think
She shudders to think
She shudders to think what will happen
For if that old cat sees her bulging like that,
Her bones are sure to be snapping.

Don't worry cried momma
Just up from her nap.
Your father will put on his quick thinking cap
Then quick as a flash he will think up a trick
To baffle that blackhearted scoundrel Big Nick.
To baffle that blackhearted scoundrel Big Nick.

Then out on the porch
There arose such a clatter.
That Celia knew instantly what was the matter.
Big Nicolas was holding his claws on the rail...

Oh pappa Oh pappa...don't let your trick fail
Oh pappa Oh pappa...don't let your trick fail

The end had the father calling out the brothers/sisters names of Celia and they played soccer with her until she lost enough weight to fit in the hole.

would LOVE to find the final versus somewhere.....no luck.

Any help would be appreciated. And my 6 year old son just LOVES what I can remember.

[Tami]

I am also looking for this music.
I performed in this school musical in Pleasant Hill , Oregon in the early 70's.
The other songs included:
Hospitality, I'm a Little Holly Berry, As round the Pond They went. I remember some lyrics and know the Celia song a little differently, but had forgotten the whole song...thank you so much for posting.. Hope you can find the whole musical. It was about window vignettes at Christmas time. I will post if I find the music!!

[Jeff or Tami]

Tami wrote:

I am also looking for this music.
I performed in this school musical in Pleasant Hill , Oregon in the early 70's.
The other songs included:
Hospitality, I'm a Little Holly Berry, As round the Pond They went. I remember some lyrics and know the Celia song a little differently, but had forgotten the whole song...thank you so much for posting.. Hope you can find the whole musical. It was about window vignettes at Christmas time. I will post if I find the music!!

Hi, I taught music in the 70's and actually came across this piece. I actually have "Hospitality" and "Two Little Angels" if you want them. You can e-mail me at: [e-mail]. Here it is:



Celia, the Mouse
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring but Celia the mouse.
She peeked through the packages under the tree
And found cherry gumdrops and ate 23.

Stuffed to the whiskers and round as a ball.
She could not fit back through the hole in the wall.
She was much to much mouse
To fit back in her house
Through the little mouse hole in the wall.

Oh poppa, cried Celia, What am I to do?
Big Nicolas the cat will be home before 2.
And If I don't shrink to the size I should be.
I shudder to think what will happen to me.

She shudders to think
She shudders to think
She shudders to think what will happen
For if that old cat sees her bulging like that,
Her bones are sure to be snapping.

Don't worry cried momma
Just up from her nap.
Your father will put on his quick thinking cap
Then quick as a flash he will think up a trick
To baffle that blackhearted scoundrel Big Nick.
To baffle that blackhearted scoundrel Big Nick.

Then out on the porch
There arose such a clatter.
That Celia knew instantly what was the matter.
Big Nicolas was holding his claws on the rail...

Oh pappa Oh pappa...don't let your trick fail
Oh pappa Oh pappa...don't let your trick fail
And Papa was tickled to see that his trick had baffled that black hearted scoundrel Saint Nick. Then, much to his horror, but more to his shame, he saw that Big Nicholas was joining the game!
Indeed he was just getting ready to pounce when Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

When Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

She sprang to her feet, gave her cousins a call and they all disappeared through the hole in the wall. But they all did exclaim as they ran out of sight:

“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

[Jeff and Tami]

If you want "Hospitality" or "Two Little Angels" - email me at: [e-mail]. I remember "I'm a Little Holly Berry" but I don't know if I have that one. I only know a little from memory.

[To Jeff and others lookin]

The song I gave a few days ago was incomplete. I found it exactly the way it was written. Here it is:


Celia, the Mouse

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
not a creature was stirring but Celia, the mouse.
Who peeked in the candy box under the tree
and found cherry gumdrops and ate twenty three.

Then, stuffed to the whiskers and round as a ball.
She could not get back through the hole in the wall.
She was much too much mouse to get back in her house
through the little mouse hole in the wall.

“Oh Mama”, cried Celia,“What am I to do?”
“Big Nicholas the cat will be home before two.
And If I don't shrink to the size I should be.
I shudder to think what will happen to me!”

She shudders to think. She shudders to think
she shudders to think what will happen
for if that old cat sees her bulging like that,
she knows that her bones will be snappin’!

“Don't worry,” squeaked Mama, just up from her nap.
“Your father will put on his quick thinking cap.
And then, in a flash he will think up a trick
To baffle that black-hearted scoundrel, Big Nick.”
To baffle that black-hearted scoundrel, Big Nick.(over)
Then, out on the porch there arose such a clatter.
That Celia knew instantly what was the matter.
Big Nicholas was honing his claws on the rail...
“Oh Papa, she pleaded...don't let your trick fail.”

“Oh, Papa, Oh Papa...don't let your trick fail.”

More rapid than eagles the relatives came, as Papa now shouted and called them by name:“Now, Flora, now, Dora, now, Dipsy and Doodle, on, Willy, on, Nilly, on Kit and Kaboodle! Line up to play soccer with Celia, the ball. Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

“Line up to play soccer with Celia, the ball. Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

Then, scurrying forth, at his curt invitation, all Celia’s young cousins got into formation to slim down poor Celia, they dribbled with care, yet
quickly, for now, there was no time to spare! And then, came a sound like a harp string gone flat, which they knew without doubt was the YOWL of a cat! As they stopped in their tracks and were turning around, through the cat-door Big Nicholas came with a bound (MEOW)!

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his feet and the look in his eye said,“I’m ready to eat.” An unfriendly hump he had raised on his back and his tongue licked his lips with a watery s-m-a-c-k!
With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head, he noted that Celia was quite over-fed! He made not a sound as he leaped through the wall, to land with a THUD finding Celia not there! For, Papa had yelled through the hole in the wall:“Don’t stand there like statues, go on and play ball.”“

“Play ball, play ball, go on and play ball.“Don’t stand there like statues, go on and play ball.”

So, Flora and Dora and Dipsy and Doodle kept passing poor Celia to Kit and Kaboodle, while others kept butting her high in the air and the cat could do nothing but stand there and stare!
And the cat could do nothing but stand there and stare!
And Papa was tickled to see that his trick had baffled that black hearted scoundrel Saint Nick. Then, much to his horror, but more to his shame, he saw that Big Nicholas was joining the game!

Indeed he was just getting ready to pounce when Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

When Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

She sprang to her feet, gave her cousins a call and they all disappeared through the hole in the wall. But they all did exclaim as they ran out of sight:


“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

[To Jeff and Tami lookin]

Complete song (other one I posted was not complete). Here it is:


Celia, the Mouse

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
not a creature was stirring but Celia, the mouse.
Who peeked in the candy box under the tree
and found cherry gumdrops and ate twenty three.

Then, stuffed to the whiskers and round as a ball.
She could not get back through the hole in the wall.
She was much too much mouse to get back in her house
through the little mouse hole in the wall.

“Oh Mama”, cried Celia,“What am I to do?”
“Big Nicholas the cat will be home before two.
And If I don't shrink to the size I should be.
I shudder to think what will happen to me!”

She shudders to think. She shudders to think
she shudders to think what will happen
for if that old cat sees her bulging like that,
she knows that her bones will be snappin’!

“Don't worry,” squeaked Mama, just up from her nap.
“Your father will put on his quick thinking cap.
And then, in a flash he will think up a trick
To baffle that black-hearted scoundrel, Big Nick.”
To baffle that black-hearted scoundrel, Big Nick.(over)
Then, out on the porch there arose such a clatter.
That Celia knew instantly what was the matter.
Big Nicholas was honing his claws on the rail...
“Oh Papa, she pleaded...don't let your trick fail.”

“Oh, Papa, Oh Papa...don't let your trick fail.”

More rapid than eagles the relatives came, as Papa now shouted and called them by name:“Now, Flora, now, Dora, now, Dipsy and Doodle, on, Willy, on, Nilly, on Kit and Kaboodle! Line up to play soccer with Celia, the ball. Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

“Line up to play soccer with Celia, the ball. Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

Then, scurrying forth, at his curt invitation, all Celia’s young cousins got into formation to slim down poor Celia, they dribbled with care, yet
quickly, for now, there was no time to spare! And then, came a sound like a harp string gone flat, which they knew without doubt was the YOWL of a cat! As they stopped in their tracks and were turning around, through the cat-door Big Nicholas came with a bound (MEOW)!

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his feet and the look in his eye said,“I’m ready to eat.” An unfriendly hump he had raised on his back and his tongue licked his lips with a watery s-m-a-c-k!
With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head, he noted that Celia was quite over-fed! He made not a sound as he leaped through the wall, to land with a THUD finding Celia not there! For, Papa had yelled through the hole in the wall:“Don’t stand there like statues, go on and play ball.”“

“Play ball, play ball, go on and play ball.“Don’t stand there like statues, go on and play ball.”

So, Flora and Dora and Dipsy and Doodle kept passing poor Celia to Kit and Kaboodle, while others kept butting her high in the air and the cat could do nothing but stand there and stare!
And the cat could do nothing but stand there and stare!
And Papa was tickled to see that his trick had baffled that black hearted scoundrel Saint Nick. Then, much to his horror, but more to his shame, he saw that Big Nicholas was joining the game!

Indeed he was just getting ready to pounce when Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

When Celia got rid of her last extra ounce!

She sprang to her feet, gave her cousins a call and they all disappeared through the hole in the wall. But they all did exclaim as they ran out of sight:


“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

“Happy New Year, Big Nicholas and poor appetite!”

[Mary]

Were you able to find the music which accompanies Celia the Mouse? I, too, remember only parts and appreciate all the lyrics you provided!

[boobear46]

Thank you so much for posting this XD My mom used to sing it to me, but she couldn't remember the whole thing. I have looked for years. I do know the holly berry one as well.

In case you need the lyrics they are as follows:
I'm a little holly berry
People think that I look merry
So they put me on a great big wreath.
Here I sit with other berry's
Redder than the reddest cherries
With a satin bow tied underneath
The wreath.
Don't they know these leaves are pointed
Do they think I'm double jointed
and I cant avoid their prickly edge
I know I should be full of cheer
A symbol of a the bright new year
But I would rather be back in a hedge.
Thanks

Hope that helps a little :D