saidtheman,"thenrejoice,"andheliftedhisarm.theleavesoftheforestputoncolorsofredandgold,andbrighttintscoveredthewoodlands.therose-bushesgleamedwithscarlethips,andthebranchesoftheelder-treeshungdownwiththeweightofthefull,darkberries.thewildchestnutsfellripefromtheirdark,greenshells,andintheforeststhevioletsbloomedforthesecondtime.butthequeenoftheyearbecamemoreandmoresilentandpale.

"itblowscold,"shesaid,"andnightbringsthedampmist;ilongforthelandofmychildhood."thenshesawthestorksflyawayeveryone,andshestretchedoutherhandstowardsthem.shelookedattheemptynests;inoneofthemgrewalong-stalkedcornflower,inanothertheyellowmustardseed,asifthenesthadbeenplacedthereonlyforitscomfortandprotection,andthesparrowswereflyingroundthemall.

"tweet,wherehasthemasterofthenestgone?"criedone,"isupposehecouldnotbearitwhenthewindblew,andthereforehehasleftthiscountry.iwishhimapleasantjourney."

theforestleavesbecamemoreandmoreyellow,leafafterleaffell,andthestormywindsofautumnhowled.theyearwasnowfaradvanced,anduponthefallen,yellowleaves,laythequeenoftheyear,lookingupwithmildeyesatagleamingstar,andherhusbandstoodbyher.agustofwindsweptthroughthefoliage,andtheleavesfellinashower.thesummerqueenwasgone,butabutterfly,thelastoftheyear,flewthroughthecoldair.dampfogscame,icywindsblew,andthelong,darknightsofwinterapproached.theruleroftheyearappearedwithhairwhiteassnow,butheknewitnot;hethoughtsnow-flakesfallingfromtheskycoveredhishead,astheydeckedthegreenfieldswithathin,whitecoveringofsnow.andthenthechurchbellsrangoutforchristmastime.

"thebellsareringingforthenew-bornyear,"saidtheruler,"soonwillanewrulerandhisbridebeborn,and.ishallgotorestwithmywifeinyonderlight-givingstar."

inthefresh,greenfir-wood,wherethesnowlayallaround,stoodtheangelofchristmas,andconsecratedtheyoungtreesthatweretoadornhisfeast.

"maytherebejoyintherooms,andunderthegreenboughs,"saidtheoldruleroftheyear.inafewweekshehadbecomeaveryoldman,withhairaswhiteassnow."myresting-timedrawsnear;theyoungpairoftheyearwillsoonclaimmycrownandsceptre."

"butthenightisstillthine,"saidtheangelofchristmas,"forpower,butnotforrest.letthesnowliewarmlyuponthetenderseed.learntoendurethethoughtthatanotherisworshippedwhilstthouartstilllord.learntoendurebeingforgottenwhileyetthoulivest.thehourofthyfreedomwillcomewhenspringappears."

"andwhenwillspringcome?"askedwinter.

"itwillcomewhenthestorkreturns."

andwithwhitelocksandsnowybeard,cold,bent,andhoary,butstrongasthewintrystorm,andfirmastheice,oldwintersatonthesnowdrift-coveredhill,lookingtowardsthesouth,wherewinterhadsatbefore,andgazed.theiceglittered,thesnowcrackled,theskatersskimmedoverthepolishedsurfaceofthelakes;ravensandcrowsformedapleasingcontrasttothewhiteground,andnotabreathofwindstirred,andinthestillairoldwinterclenchedhisfists,andtheicelayfathomsdeepbetweenthelands.thencamethesparrowsagainoutofthetown,andasked,"whoisthatoldman?"theravensattherestill,oritmightbehisson,whichisthesamething,andhesaidtothem,-

"itiswinter,theoldmanoftheformeryear;heisnotdead,asthecalendarsays,butheisguardiantothespring,whichiscoming."

"whenwillspringcome?"