by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H P Paull (1872)

" so delightfully cold," said the Snow Man, " makes my whole body crackle just the kind of wind to blow life into one How that great red thing up staring at me ! " He meant the sun, who was just setting "It make me wink manage the pieces "

He had two triangular pieces of tile head, instead of eyes; his mouth of an old broken rake, and was, , furnished with teeth He brought into existence amidst the joyous shouts of boys, the jingling of sleigh-bells, slashing of whips The sun went down, full moon rose, large, round, and clear, shining deep blue

"There it comes again, other side," said the Snow Man, who supposed the sun was showing himself once more "Ah, cured him of staring, though; now hang up there, and shine, that see myself If I only knew how to manage to move away place,- so like to move If , slide along yonder ice, as the boys do; but I don't understand how; I don't even know how to run "

"Away, away," barked the old yard-dog quite hoarse, and pronounce "Bow wow" properly He had once been an indoor dog, and lay fire, and he hoarse "The sun will make you run some day him, last winter, make your predecessor run, predecessor before him Away, away, they all have "

"I don't understand you, comrade," said the Snow Man " thing up yonder to teach me to run ? it running itself little while ago, and now it creeping up other side

" nothing at all," replied the yard-dog; "but then, you've only lately been patched up What yonder moon, one before it sun come again to-morrow, and most likely teach you to run down ditch well; for the weather is going feel such pricks and stabs in my left leg; going change "

"I don't understand him," said the Snow Man to himself; "but feeling that talking of something very disagreeable The one who stared so just now, and whom he calls the sun, my friend; feel that too "

"Away, away," barked the yard-dog, and then he turned round three times, and crept into his kennel to sleep

really change weather Towards morning, thick fog covered the whole country round, and keen wind arose, so cold seemed to freeze one's bones; but sun rose, the sight was splendid Trees and bushes were covered with hoar frost, and looked like forest of white coral; while on every twig glittered frozen dew-drops The many delicate forms concealed in summer by luxuriant foliage, were now clearly defined, and looked like glittering lace-work From every twig glistened white radiance The birch, waving wind, looked full of life, like trees in summer; and its appearance was wondrously beautiful And where the sun shone, how everything glittered and sparkled, diamond dust strewn about; while the snowy carpet earth appeared covered with diamonds, countless lights gleamed, whiter than even the snow itself

" really beautiful," said young girl, who had come garden with young man; both stood still near the Snow Man, and contemplated the glittering scene "Summer cannot show more beautiful sight," she exclaimed, while her eyes sparkled

"And 't have such fellow summer time," replied the young man, pointing Snow Man; " capital "

The girl laughed, and nodded Snow Man, and then tripped away over the snow with her friend The snow creaked and crackled beneath her feet, she treading on starch

" these two ? " asked the Snow Man yard-dog " here longer than ; them ? "

" them," replied the yard-dog; "she has stroked my back , and he me bone of meat I never bite those two "

"But they ? " asked the Snow Man

" lovers," he replied; " go and live same kennel by-and-by, and gnaw same bone Away, away ! "

"Are they the same kind of beings and I ? " asked the Snow Man

"Well, they belong same master," retorted the yard-dog "Certainly people who were only born yesterday know very little that in you age and experience here house, and once time when lie out here cold, fastened to chain Away, away ! "

"The cold is delightful," said the Snow Man; "but do tell me tell me; only not clank your chain so; jars all through me "

"Away, away ! " barked the yard-dog; "I'll tell you; they said pretty little fellow once; then I used to lie in velvet-covered chair, up master's house, and sit mistress's lap They used to kiss my nose, and wipe my paws with an embroidered handkerchief, and called 'Ami, dear Ami, sweet Ami ' But after while I grew too big , sent me away housekeeper's room; so to live lower story look room from where you stand, where master once; for indeed master housekeeper certainly smaller room than those up stairs; but more comfortable; for not being continually taken hold of and pulled about children as I I received quite as good food, or even better I had my own cushion, and stove- finest thing season year I used under the stove, and lie down quite beneath it Ah, I still dream stove Away, away ! "

"Does stove look beautiful ? " asked the Snow Man, " at all like me ? "

" just the reverse of you,' said the dog; "it's as black as crow, and has long neck and brass knob; it eats firewood, fire spurts out mouth keep on one side, or under it, comfortable You it window, from where you stand "

Then the Snow Man looked, and saw bright polished thing with brazen knob, and fire gleaming lower part of it The Snow Man felt quite strange sensation come over him; very odd, not what it meant, and account But people men of snow, who understand what "'And why did you leave her ? " asked the Snow Man, seemed to him stove female sex "How could you give up such comfortable place ? "

" obliged," replied the yard-dog "They turned me out of doors, and chained me up here I had bitten the youngest master's sons leg, because he kicked away the bone gnawing 'Bone for bone,' ; but they were so angry, and fastened with chain, and lost my bone Don't you hear how hoarse Away, away ! 't talk any more like other dogs Away, away, end of it all "

But the Snow Man was no longer listening looking housekeeper's room lower storey; where the stove stood on its four iron legs, looking same size Snow Man himself "What strange crackling within me," "Shall I ever get in there ? an innocent wish, and innocent wishes fulfilled go in there and lean against her, even if to break the window "

" never go in there," said the yard-dog, "for approach the stove, you'll melt away, away "

" go," said the Snow Man, "for breaking up "

During the whole day the Snow Man stood looking in window, and twilight hour the room became still more inviting, for stove came gentle glow, not like the sun or the moon; no, only the bright light which gleams from stove when well fed door stove was opened, the flames darted out mouth; customary with all stoves The light flames fell directly face and breast Snow Man with ruddy gleam " endure it no longer," said he; "how beautiful it looks when it stretches out its tongue ? "

The night was long, but appear so Snow Man, who stood there enjoying his own reflections, and crackling cold morning, the window-panes housekeeper's room were covered with ice They were the most beautiful ice-flowers any Snow Man could desire, but they concealed the stove These window-panes thaw, and he nothing stove, which he pictured to himself, it lovely human being The snow crackled wind whistled around him; just the kind of frosty weather Snow Man might thoroughly enjoy But enjoy it; how, indeed, could he enjoy anything when "stove sick ? "

" terrible disease for Snow Man," said the yard-dog; " suffered myself, but I got over it Away, away," he barked and then he added, "the weather is going " weather did change; it began to thaw warmth increased, the Snow Man decreased nothing and made no complaint, sure sign One morning he broke, and sunk down altogether; and, behold, where he had stood, something like broomstick remained sticking up ground It pole round which the boys had built him up "Ah, now I understand why he had such great longing stove," said the yard-dog "Why, there's the shovel used for cleaning out the stove, fastened pole " The Snow Man had stove scraper body; that was what moved him so "But it's all over now Away, away " And soon the winter passed "Away, away," barked the hoarse yard-dog But the girls house sang,

"Come from your fragrant home, green thyme; Stretch your soft branches, willow-tree; The months are bringing the sweet spring-time, lark sky sings joyfully Come gentle sun, while the cuckoo sings, And I'll mock his note in my wanderings "

And nobody thought any more Snow Man

THE END