theSnowMan byHansChristianAndersen（1861） Tissodelightfullycold，“saidtheSnowMan， ”thatitmakesmywholebodycrackle.Thisisjustthekindofwindtoblowlifeintoone.HowthatGREatredthingupthereisstaringatme“Hemeantthesun，whowasjustsetting. ”Itshallnotmakemewink.Ishallmanagetokeepthepieces.“ Hehadtwotriangularpiecesoftileinhishead，insteadofeyes；
hismouthwasmadeofanoldbrokenrake，andwas，ofcourse，furnishedwithteeth.Hehadbeenbroughtintoexistenceamidstthejoyousshoutsofboys，thejinglingofsleigh-bells，andtheslashingofwhips.Thesunwentdown，andthefullmoonrose，large，round，andclear，shininginthedeepblue. “thereitcomesagain，fromtheotherside，”saidtheSnowMan，whosupposedthesunwasshowinghimselfoncemore. “Ah，Ihavecuredhimofstaring，though；
nowhemayhangupthere，andshine，thatImayseemyself.IfIonlyknewhowtomanagetomoveawayfromthisplace，Ishouldsoliketomove.IfIcould，Iwouldslidealongyonderontheice，asIhaveseentheboysdo；
butIdontunderstandhow；
Idontevenknowhowtorun.” “Away，away，”barkedtheoldyard-dog.Hewasquitehoarse，andcouldnotpronounce“Bowwow”properly.Hehadoncebeenanindoordog，andlaybythefire，andhehadbeenhoarseeversince. “Thesunwillmakeyourunsomeday.Isawhim，lastwinter，makeyourpredecessorrun，andhispredecessorbeforehim.Away，away，theyallhavetogo.” “Idontunderstandyou，comrade，”saidtheSnowMan. “IsthatthingupyondertoteachmetorunIsawitrunningitselfalittlewhileago，andnowithascomecreepingupfromtheotherside.” “Youknownothingatall，”repliedtheyard-dog；
“butthen，youveonlylatelybeenpatchedup.Whatyouseeyonderisthemoon，andtheonebeforeitwasthesun.Itwillcomeagainto-morrow，andmostlikelyteachyoutorundownintotheditchbythewell；
forIthinktheweatherisgoingtochange.Icanfeelsuchpricksandstabsinmyleftleg；
Iamsurethereisgoingtobeachange.” “Idontunderstandhim，”saidtheSnowMantohimself；
“butIhaveafeelingthatheistalkingofsomethingverydisaGREeable.Theonewhostaredsojustnow，andwhomhecallsthesun，isnotmyfriend；
Icanfeelthattoo.” “Away，away，”barkedtheyard-dog，andthenheturnedroundthreetimes，andcreptintohiskenneltosleep. therewasreallyachangeintheweather.Towardsmorning，athickfogcoveredthewholecountryround，andakeenwindarose，sothatthecoldseemedtofreezeonesbones；
butwhenthesunrose，thesightwassplendid.Treesandbusheswerecoveredwithhoarfrost，andlookedlikeaforestofwhitecoral；
whileoneverytwigglitteredfrozendew-drops.Themanydelicatesconcealedinsummerbyluxuriantfoliage，werenowclearlydefined，andlookedlikeglitteringlace-work.Fromeverytwigglistenedawhiteradiance.Thebirch，wavinginthewind，lookedfulloflife，liketreesinsummer；
anditsappearancewaswondrouslybeautiful.Andwherethesunshone，howeverythingglitteredandsparkled，asifdiamonddusthadbeenstrewnabout；
whilethesnowycarpetoftheearthappearedasifcoveredwithdiamonds，fromwhichcountlesslightsgleamed，whiterthaneventhesnowitself. “Thisisreallybeautiful，”saidayounggirl，whohadcomeintothegardenwithayoungman；
andtheybothstoodstillneartheSnowMan，andcontemplatedtheglitteringscene. “Summercannotshowamorebeautifulsight，”sheexclaimed，whilehereyessparkled. “Andwecanthavesuchafellowasthisinthesummertime，”repliedtheyoungman，pointingtotheSnowMan；
“heiscapital.” thegirllaughed，andnoddedattheSnowMan，andthentrippedawayoverthesnowwithherfriend.Thesnowcreakedandcrackledbeneathherfeet，asifshehadbeentreadingonstarch. “Whoarethesetwo”askedtheSnowManoftheyard-dog. “YouhavebeenherelongerthanIhave；
doyouknowthem” “OfcourseIknowthem，”repliedtheyard-dog；
“shehasstrokedmybackmanytimes，andhehasgivenmeaboneofmeat.Ineverbitethosetwo.” “Butwhatarethey”askedtheSnowMan. “theyarelovers，”hereplied；
“theywillgoandliveinthesamekennelby-and-by，andgnawatthesamebone.Away，away” “AretheythesamekindofbeingsasyouandI”askedtheSnowMan. “Well，theybelongtothesamemaster，”retortedtheyard-dog. “Certainlypeoplewhowereonlybornyesterdayknowverylittle.Icanseethatinyou.Ihaveageandexperience.Iknoweveryonehereinthehouse，andIknowtherewasonceatimewhenIdidnotlieouthereinthecold，fastenedtoachain.Away，away” “thecoldisdelightful，”saidtheSnowMan；
“butdotellmetellme；
onlyyoumustnotclankyourchainso；
foritjarsallthroughmewhenyoudothat.” “Away，away”barkedtheyard-dog；
“Illtellyou；
theysaidIwasaprettylittlefellowonce；
thenIuse