once upon a time there lived a peasant called ivan , and he had a wife whose name was marie . they would have been quite happy except for one thing : they had no children to play with , and as they were now old people they did not find that watching the children of their neighbours at all made up to them for having one of their own . one winter , which nobody living will ever forget , the snow lay so deep that it came up to the knees of even the tallest man . when it had all fallen , and the sun was shining again , the children ran out into the street to play , and the old man and his wife sat at their window and gazed at them . the children first made a sort of little terrace , and stamped it hard and firm , and then they began to make a snow woman . ivan and marie watched them , the while thinking about many things . suddenly ivan 's face brightened , and , looking at his wife , he said , ' wife , why should n't we make a snow woman too ? ' ' why not ? ' replied marie , who happened to be in a very good temper ; ' it might amuse us a little . but there is no use making a woman . let us make a little snow child , and pretend it is a living one . ' ' yes , let us do that , ' said ivan , and he took down his cap and went into the garden with his old wife . then the two set to work with all their might to make a doll out of the snow . they shaped a little body and two little hands and two little feet . on top of all they placed a ball of snow , out of which the head was to be . ' what in the world are you doing ? ' asked a passer - by . ' ca n't you guess ? ' returned ivan . ' making a snow - child , ' replied marie . 
pretend it is a living one .
why did the ivan and marie make a snow-child ?
why did the ivan and marie make a snow-child ?