TheSnowdrop byHansChristianAndersen（1863） ITwaswinter-time；
theairwascold，thewindwassharp，butwithinthecloseddoorsitwaswarmandcomfortable，andwithinthecloseddoorlaytheflower；
itlayinthebulbunderthesnow-coveredearth. Onedayrainfell.thedropspenetratedthroughthesnowycoveringdownintotheearth，andtouchedtheflower-bulb，andtalkedofthebrightworldabove.SoontheSunbeampierceditswaythroughthesnowtotheroot，andwithintheroottherewasastirring. “Comein，”saidtheflower. “Icannot，”saidtheSunbeam. “IamnotstrongenoughtounlockthedoorWhenthesummercomesIshallbestrong” “Whenwillitbesummer”askedtheFlower，andsherepeatedthisquestioneachtimeanewsunbeammadeitswaydowntoher.Butthesummerwasyetfardistant.Thesnowstilllayupontheground，andtherewasacoatoficeonthewatereverynight. “Whatalongtimeittakeswhatalongtimeittakes”saidtheFlower. “Ifeelastirringandstrivingwithinme；
Imuststretchmyself，Imustunlockthedoor，Imustgetout，andmustnodagoodmorningtothesummer，andwhatahappytimethatwillbe” AndtheFlowerstirredandstretcheditselfwithinthethinrindwhichthewaterhadsoftenedfromwithout，andthesnowandtheearthhadwarmed，andtheSunbeamhadknockedat；
anditshotforthunderthesnowwithaGREenish-whiteblossomonagreenstalk，withnarrowthickleaves，whichseemedtowanttoprotectit.Thesnowwascold，butwaspiercedbytheSunbeam，thereforeitwaseasytogetthroughit，andnowtheSunbeamcamewithgreaterstrengththanbefore. “Welcome，welcome”sangandsoundedeveryray，andtheFlowerlifteditselfupoverthesnowintothebrighterworld.TheSunbeamscaressedandkissedit，sothatitopenedaltogether，whiteassnow，andornamentedwithGREenstripes.Itbentitsheadinjoyandhumility. “BeautifulFlower”saidtheSunbeams， “howgracefulanddelicateyouareYouarethefirst，youaretheonlyoneYouareourloveYouarethebellthatringsoutforsummer，beautifulsummer，overcountryandtown.Allthesnowwillmelt；
thecoldwindswillbedrivenaway；
weshallrule；
allwillbecomeGREen，andthenyouwillhavecompanions，syringas，laburnums，androses；
butyouarethefirst，sograceful，sodelicate” ThatwasaGREatpleasure.Itseemedasiftheairweresingingandsounding，asifraysoflightwerepiercingthroughtheleavesandthestalksoftheFlower.Thereitstood，sodelicateandsoeasilybroken，andyetsostronginitsyoungbeauty；
itstoodthereinitswhitedresswiththegreenstripes，andmadeasummer.Buttherewasalongtimeyettothesummer-time.Cloudshidthesun，andbleakwindswereblowing. “Youhavecometooearly，”saidWindandWeather. “Wehavestillthepower，andyoushallfeelit，andgiveituptous.Youshouldhavestayedquietlyathomeandnothaverunouttomakeadisplayofyourself.Yourtimeisnotcomeyet” Itwasacuttingcoldthedayswhichnowcomebroughtnotasinglesunbeam.ItwasweatherthatmightbreaksuchalittleFlowerintwowithcold.ButtheFlowerhadmorestrengththansheherselfknewof.Shewasstronginjoyandinfaithinthesummer，whichwouldbesuretocome，whichhadbeenannouncedbyherdeeplongingandconfirmedbythewarmsunlight；
andsosheremainedstandinginconfidenceinthesnowinherwhitegarment，bendingherheadevenwhilethesnow-flakesfellthickandheavy，andtheicywindssweptoverher. “Youllbreak”theysaid， “andfade，andfadeWhatdidyouwantouthereWhydidyouletyourselfbetemptedTheSunbeamonlymadegameofyou.Nowyouhavewhatyoudeserve，yousummergauk.” “Summergauk”sherepeatedinthecoldmorninghour. “Osummergauk”criedsomechildrenrejoicingly；
“yonderstandsonehowbeautiful，howbeautifulthefirstone，theonlyone” thesewordsdidtheFlowersomuchgood，theyseemedtoherlikewarmsunbeams.InherjoytheFlowerdidnotevenfeelwhenitwasbrokenoff.Itlayinachildshand，andwaskissedbyachildsmouth，andcarriedintoawarmroom，andlookedonbygentleeyes，andputintowater.Howstrengthening，howinvigoratingTheFlowerthoughtshehadsuddenlycomeuponthesummer. thedaughterofthehouse，abeautifullittlegirl，wasconfirmed，andshehadafriendwhowasconfirmed，too.Hewasstudyingforanexaminationforanappointment. “Heshallbemysummergauk，”shesaid；
andshetookthedelicateFlowerandlaiditinapieceofscentedpaper，onwhichverseswerewritten，beginningwithsummergaukandendingwithsummergauk. “Myfriend，beawintergauk.”Shehadtwittedhimwiththesummer.Yes，allthiswasintheverses，andthepaperwasfoldeduplikealetter，andtheFlowerwasfoldedintheletter，too.Itwasdarkaroundher，darkasinthosedayswhenshelayhiddeninthebulb.TheFlowerwentforthonherjourney，and