, 1923-01-07
The Liaie Snow Maiden.
A Russian Folk Gale.

wife, Anastasia- in q little Village on
ths edge Of the forest. Now these
two. though there was much merry
company in the huts about them,
were always sorrowing because they.
had no children IN their home The
woman never had to run to the door
to see that her little one ala not wan.
der away, because she did not have a
little one So Peter and Anastasia
would stand at their window ana
watch their neiEhbor's chilcren and
wish with al their hearts that one
Of these was their own.
Ono day they saw the little ones
IN their sheepskin coats playing in
the nov They made snow forts and
pelted each other with snowflake and
laughed and shouted merrily. Then
they rolled I'd ths snow into a great
nov woman and put an old kerchief
on her head n an old shawl on her
shoulders.
Now. there's an idea, wife" said
Peter. Let us TO out and get a little
snow girl. Who lnows-perhaps
she win come alive and be a oauEh.
ter TO U.S."
Good said the wife. tits worth
trying, at least" So out went the
two in their big coats and their fur
hats and there in the back yard,
where no one could see them, they set
to work. They rolled the snow to-
Eether and began to fashion IT into a
little maiden. And 80 long had they
tenderiy dreamed OF a little girl, that
their great love fashioned her now as
9. most beautiful creature-the love
Hest y seen.
Well. towards evening. when the
sky was opal and smoke color and
the clouds lay purple on the ecss Of
ne earth, she was finished. There
she was before them, complete.
"oh. my little white pigeon, speak
TO u.s." says Peter.
"Yes. speak. my darling" says An.
hstasia, and run and skip and laugh
tnke other children"
Suddenly. in the twilight glow, tia
ifttle maids eyelids began to culver,
q faint blush bioomed on her cheass,
her lips parted In q smile. Then her
eyes opened. and 10! they were blue
as the sky at noon. All at once, she
skipped from her place and began
dancing about in the snow. dancing
like a little white sprite anG dancing
softly. dancing like snow flakes
whirled IN the wind
"God be thanked" says Peter.
NOW we have a little girl to love
with usl Run. wife. and fetch a
blanket to keep her warm"
30 Anastasia ran and got a blan.
ket and wrapped It about the lit,
tie snow maiden. and Peter picked
her up and carried her into the house
you must not keep me too warm
she said. So Peter put her gently
down on q bench farthest from the
stove. and she smiled up at him and
blew him a kiss. Then A~nastasia got
her q little white coat, ane Peter
went to the neighbors and bought her
& white fur cap and a pair OF white
boots with fur around the tops. But
when she was dressed the little snow
maiden cried. 1T is too hot here ir
the cottage. I must go out In The
cold"
Nay, nay, little piEeon.r says An
sstasia. at is time I tucked you Ut
warm in bed"
20. moi no, nor cried the little
snow maiden. "I ana a little daugh
ter of the snow. I can not be tucked
up under a blanket. I viii play BY
myself IN the yard all night" And
out she danced into the cole.
Over the cleaning snow she trip
ped down tho silver path of the moor
light. Her garments glittered lik,
diamonds. and tho frost shons abou'
her Eead like a little crown Of stars
For a long time the mar and th'
good wife watched her. "Ah, Coz
be thanked for the littis girl that hai
come to us" they said again and
again. Then at last they went to bed
but more than once that night thel
rose to look out the window and MAKE
sure she hac not run way. Ther'
she wss Just as before. dancing
about IN the moonlight and playing
all alone.
III the IhoIEhAB 6H0 AaA NO 80
cottaee with shining eyes.
This is the porridge for me- sh'
cried and she showed the good wo
man how 10 crush w a little piece o
ice in a wooden bowl. for that Wa
all she would eat. After breakfas
she ran out in the road and joiner
the other children at play. How sh'
nIayeI md how the children loved her
size could run faster than all the rest
Her little white BOOTS tw1nkled ant
Elesmed as she ran. and when sh'
laughed. It was IKE the ringing pea
OF tiny silver bells.
The man and woman watched he
and were very proud.
"shs IS ell our own" said Anal
tasiA.
"our little white pigeon" sal
Petsr.
When It wal time. she came IN 70
her ice porridee. but though Anas
tasia said { her. Tonight your
surely sleep inside my darling" Ell
answered just as before. "oh, no! Nc
moi I am a little daughter Of til