Sunday, December 25, 2005
The Least Famous Reindeer of All....
The source that added eight individually-named reindeer to the then-nascent Santa Claus legend was the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" (now more commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas"), first published in 1823. A portion of the poem read as follows:
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of midday to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid!
on Dunder and Blixem!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now, dash away! dash away! dash away all!
Who are those last two reindeer? 'Dunder and Blixem'? Aren't they supposed to be 'Donner and Blitzen'? - Check out Snopes for more.
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