What are the missing words, but most importantly, what is "it"?

They couldn't sit down 'till they got it out of town

To send it back was nice,
But who'd have bet the odds,
They'd send it back with mice,
And___________________________?

HINT 1:

There are two missing words that complete the rhyme and syllable count.

HINT 2:

The riddle is in reference to an event described in an old famous book.