itisverylongincoming."

"verylongindeed,"soundedoverthefield,fromthenearestsnow-coveredhill.itmighthavebeentheechowhichpeopleheard,orperhapsthewordsofthatwonderfuloldman,whosathighonaheapofsnow,regardlessofwindorweather.hewasallinwhite;hehadonapeasant'scoarsewhitecoatoffrieze.hehadlongwhitehair,apaleface,andlargeclearblueeyes."whoisthatoldman?"askedthesparrows.

"iknowwhoheis,"saidanoldraven,whosatonthefence,andwascondescendingenoughtoacknowledgethatweareallequalinthesightofheaven,evenaslittlebirds,andthereforehetalkedwiththesparrows,andgavethemtheinformationtheywanted."iknowwhotheoldmanis,"hesaid."itiswinter,theoldmanoflastyear;heisnotdeadyet,asthecalendarsays,butactsasguardiantolittleprincespringwhoiscoming.winterrulesherestill.ugh!thecoldmakesyoushiver,littleones,doesitnot?"

"there!didinottellyouso?"saidthesmallestofthesparrows."thecalendarisonlyaninventionofman,andisnotarrangedaccordingtonature.theyshouldleavethesethingstous;wearecreatedsomuchmorecleverthantheyare."

oneweekpassed,andthenanother.theforestlookeddark,thehard-frozenlakelaylikeasheetoflead.themountainshaddisappeared,foroverthelandhungdamp,icymists.largeblackcrowsflewaboutinsilence;itwasasifnatureslept.atlengthasunbeamglidedoverthelake,anditshonelikeburnishedsilver.butthesnowonthefieldsandthehillsdidnotglitteraswhiteformofwintersattherestill,withhisun-wanderinggazefixedonthesouth.hedidnotperceivethatthesnowycarpetseemedtosinkasitwereintotheearth;thathereandtherealittlegreenpatchofgrassappeared,andthatthesepatcheswerecoveredwithsparrows.

"tee-wit,tee-wit;isspringcomingatlast?"

spring!howthecryresoundedoverfieldandmeadow,andthroughthedark-brownwoods,wherethefreshgreenmossstillgleamedonthetrunksofthetrees,andfromthesouthcamethetwofirststorksflyingthroughtheair,andonthebackofeachsatalovelylittlechild,aboyandagirl.theygreetedtheearthwithakiss,andwherevertheyplacedtheirfeetwhiteflowerssprungupfrombeneaththesnow.handinhandtheyapproachedtheoldice-man,winter,embracedhimandclungtohisbreast;andastheydidso,inamomentallthreewereenvelopedinathick,dampmist,darkandheavy,thatclosedoverthemlikeaveil.thewindarosewithmightyrustlingtone,andclearedawaythemist.thenthesunshoneoutwarmly.winterhadvanishedaway,andthebeautifulchildrenofspringsatonthethroneoftheyear.

"thisisreallyanewyear,"criedallthesparrows,"nowweshallgetourrights,andhavesomereturnforwhatwesufferedinwinter."

whereverthetwochildrenwandered,greenbudsburstforthonbushandtree,thegrassgrewhigher,andthecorn-fieldsbecamelovelyindelicategreen.

thelittlemaidenstrewedflowersinherpath.sheheldherapronbeforeher:itwasfullofflowers;itwasasiftheysprungintolifethere,forthemoreshescatteredaroundher,themoreflowersdidheraproncontain.eagerlysheshoweredsnowyblossomsoverappleandpeach-trees,sothattheystoodinfullbeautybeforeeventheirgreenleaveshadburstfromthebud.thentheboyandthegirlclappedtheirhands,andtroopsofbirdscameflyingby,nooneknewfromwhence,andtheyalltwitteredandchirped,singing"springhascome!"