FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　SNOWDROP
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  IT　was　winter…time；　the　air　was　cold；　the　wind　was　sharp；　but
  within　the　closed　doors　it　was　warm　and　comfortable；　and　within　the
  closed　door　lay　the　flower；　it　lay　in　the　bulb　under　the
  snow…covered　earth。
  One　day　rain　fell。　The　drops　penetrated　through　the　snowy　covering
  down　into　the　earth；　and　touched　the　flower…bulb；　and　talked　of　the
  bright　world　above。　Soon　the　Sunbeam　pierced　its　way　through　the
  snow　to　the　root；　and　within　the　root　there　was　a　stirring。
  〃Come　in；〃　said　the　flower。
  〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　Sunbeam。　〃I　am　not　strong　enough　to　unlock
  the　door！　When　the　summer　comes　I　shall　be　strong！〃
  〃When　will　it　be　summer？〃　asked　the　Flower；　and　she　repeated
  this　question　each　time　a　new　sunbeam　made　its　way　down　to　her。　But
  the　summer　was　yet　far　distant。　The　snow　still　lay　upon　the　ground；
  and　there　was　a　coat　of　ice　on　the　water　every　night。
  〃What　a　long　time　it　takes！　what　a　long　time　it　takes！〃　said　the
  Flower。　〃I　feel　a　stirring　and　striving　within　me；　I　must　stretch
  myself；　I　must　unlock　the　door；　I　must　get　out；　and　must　nod　a　good
  morning　to　the　summer；　and　what　a　happy　time　that　will　be！〃
  And　the　Flower　stirred　and　stretched　itself　within　the　thin　rind
  which　the　water　had　softened　from　without；　and　the　snow　and　the
  earth　had　warmed；　and　the　Sunbeam　had　knocked　at；　and　it　shot　forth
  under　the　snow　with　a　greenish…white　blossom　on　a　green　stalk；　with
  narrow　thick　leaves；　which　seemed　to　want　to　protect　it。　The　snow
  was　cold；　but　was　pierced　by　the　Sunbeam；　therefore　it　was　easy　to　get
  through　it；　and　now　the　Sunbeam　came　with　greater　strength　than
  before。
  〃Welcome；　welcome！〃　sang　and　sounded　every　ray；　and　the　Flower
  lifted　itself　up　over　the　snow　into　the　brighter　world。　The　Sunbeams
  caressed　and　kissed　it；　so　that　it　opened　altogether；　white　as　snow；
  and　ornamented　with　green　stripes。　It　bent　its　head　in　joy　and
  humility。
  〃Beautiful　Flower！〃　said　the　Sunbeams；　〃how　graceful　and
  delicate　you　are！　You　are　the　first；　you　are　the　only　one！　You　are　our
  love！　You　are　the　bell　that　rings　out　for　summer；　beautiful　summer；
  over　country　and　town。　All　the　snow　will　melt；　the　cold　winds　will
  be　driven　away；　we　shall　rule；　all　will　become　green；　and　then　you
  will　have　companions；　syringas；　laburnums；　and　roses；　but　you　are
  the　first；　so　graceful；　so　delicate！〃
  That　was　a　great　pleasure。　It　seemed　as　if　the　air　were　singing
  and　sounding；　as　if　rays　of　light　were　piercing　through　the　leaves　and
  the　stalks　of　the　Flower。　There　it　stood；　so　delicate　and　so　easily
  broken；　and　yet　so　strong　in　its　young　beauty；　it　stood　there　in　its
  white　dress　with　the　green　stripes；　and　made　a　summer。　But　there　was　a
  long　time　yet　to　the　summer…time。　Clouds　hid　the　sun；　and　bleak
  winds　were　blowing。
  〃You　have　come　too　early；〃　said　Wind　and　Weather。　〃We　have　still
  the　power；　and　you　shall　feel　it；　and　give　it　up　to　us。　You　should
  have　stayed　quietly　at　home　and　not　have　run　out　to　make　a　display
  of　yourself。　Your　time　is　not　come　yet！〃
  It　was　a　cutting　cold！　The　days　which　now　come　brought　not　a
  single　sunbeam。　It　was　weather　that　might　break　such　a　little　Flower
  in　two　with　cold。　But　the　Flower　had　more　strength　than　she　herself
  knew　of。　She　was　strong　in　joy　and　in　faith　in　the　summer；　which　would
  be　sure　to　come；　which　had　been　announced　by　her　deep　longing　and
  confirmed　by　the　warm　sunlight；　and　so　she　remained　standing　in
  confidence　in　the　snow　in　her　white　garment；　bending　her　head　even
  while　the　snow…flakes　fell　thick　and　heavy；　and　the　icy　winds　swept
  over　her。
  〃You'll　break！〃　they　said；　〃and　fade；　and　fade！　What　did　you
  want　out　here？　Why　did　you　let　yourself　be　tempted？　The　Sunbeam　only
  made　game　of　you。　Now　you　have　what　you　deserve；　you　summer　gauk。〃
  〃Summer　gauk！〃　she　repeated　in　the　cold　morning　hour。
  〃O　summer　gauk！〃　cried　some　children　rejoicingly；　〃yonder　stands
  one…　how　beautiful；　how　beautiful！　The　first　one；　the　only　one！〃
  These　words　did　the　Flower　so　much　good；　they　seemed　to　her　like
  warm　sunbeams。　In　her　joy　the　Flower　did　not　even　feel　when　it　was
  broken　off。　It　lay　in　a　child's　hand；　and　was　kissed　by　a　child's
  mouth；　and　carried　into　a　warm　room；　and　looked　on　by　gentle　eyes；　and
  put　into　water。　How　strengthening；　how　invigorating！　The　Flower
  thought　she　had　suddenly　come　upon　the　summer。
  The　daughter　of　the　house；　a　beautiful　little　girl；　was　confirmed；
  and　she　had　a　friend　who　was　confirmed；　too。　He　was　studying　for　an
  examination　for　an　appointment。　〃He　shall　be　my　summer　gauk；〃　she
  said；　and　she　took　the　delicate　Flower　and　laid　it　in　a　piece　of
  scented　paper；　on　which　verses　were　written；　beginning　with　summer
  gauk　and　ending　with　summer　gauk。　〃My　friend；　be　a　winter　gauk。〃　She
  had　twitted　him　with　the　summer。　Yes；　all　this　was　in　the　verses；
  and　the　paper　was　folded　up　like　a　letter；　and　the　Flower　was　folded
  in　the　letter；　too。　It　was　dark　around　her；　dark　as　in　those　days　when
  she　lay　hidden　in　the　bulb。　The　Flower　went　forth　on　her　journey；
  and　lay　in　the　post…bag；　and　was　pressed　and　crushed；　which　was　not　at
  all　pleasant；　but　that　soon　came　to　an　end。
  The　journey　was　over；　the　letter　was　opened；　and　read　by　the
  dear　friend。　How　pleased　he　was！　He　kissed　the　letter；　and　it　was
  laid；　with　its　enclosure　of　verses；　in　a　box；　in　which　there　were　many
  beautiful　verses；　but　all　of　them　without　flowers；　she　was　the
  first；　the　only　one；　as　the　Sunbeams　had　called　her；　and　it　was　a
  pleasant　thing　to　think　of　that。
  She　had　time　enough；　moreover；　to　think　about　it；　she　thought　of
  it　while　the　summer　passed　away；　and　the　long　winter　went　by；　and
  the　summer　came　again；　before　she　appeared　once　more。　But　now　the
  young　man　was　not　pleased　at　all。　He　took　hold　of　the　letter　very
  roughly；　and　threw　the　verses　away；　so　that　the　Flower　fell　on　the
  ground。　Flat　and　faded　she　certainly　was；　but　why　should　she　be　thrown
  on　the　ground？　Still；　it　was　better　to　be　here　than　in　the　fire；　where
  the　verses　and　the　paper　were　being　burnt　to　ashes。　What　had　happened？
  What　happens　so　often：…　the　Flower　had　made　a　gauk　of　him；　that　was
  a　jest；　the　girl　had　made　a　fool　of　him；　that　was　no　jest；　she　had；
  during　the　summer；　chosen　another　friend。
  Next　morning　the　sun　shone　in　upon　the　little　flattened
  Snowdrop；　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　painted　upon　the　floor。　The
  servant　girl；　who　was　sweeping　out　the　room；　picked　it　up；　and　laid　it
  in　one　of　the　books　which　were　upon　the　table；　in　the　belief　that　it
  must　have　fallen　out　while　the　room　was　being　arranged。　Again　the
  flower　lay　among　verses…　printed　verses…　and　they　are　better　than
  written　ones…　at　least；　more　money　has　been　spent　upon　them。
  And　after　this　years　went　by。　The　book　stood　upon　the
  book…shelf；　and　then　it　was　taken　up　and　somebody　read　out　of　it。　It
  was　a　good　book；　verses　and　songs　by　the　old　Danish　poet；　Ambrosius
  Stub；　which　are　well　worth　reading。　The　man　who　was　now　reading　the
  book　turned　over　a　page。
  〃Why；　there's　a　flower！〃　he　said；　〃a　snowdrop；　a　summer　gauk；　a
  poet　gauk！　That　flower　must　have　been　put　in　there　with　a　meaning！
  Poor　Ambrosius　Stub！　he　was　a　summer　fool　too；　a　poet　fool；　he　came
  too　early；　before　his　time；　and　therefore　he　had　to　taste　the　sharp
  winds；　and　wander　about　as　a　guest　from　one　noble　landed　proprietor　to
  another；　like　a　flower　in　a　glass　of　water；　a　flower　in　rhymed　verses！
  Summer　fool；　winter　fool；　fun　and　folly…　but　the　first；　the　only；
  the　fresh　young　Danish　poet　of　those　days。　Yes；　thou　shalt　remain　as　a
  token　in　the　book；　thou　little　snowdrop：　thou　hast　been　put　there　with
  a　meaning。〃
  And　so　the　Snowdrop　was　put　back　into　the　book；　and　felt　equally
  honored　and　pleased　to　know　that　it　was　a　token　in　the　glorious　book
  of　songs；　and　that　he　who　was　the　first　to　sing　and　to　write　had
  been　also　a　snowdrop；　had　been　a　summer　gauk；　and　had　been　looked　upon
  in　the　winter…time　as　a　fool。　The　Flower　understood　this；　in　her
  way；　as　we　interpret　everything　in　our　way。
  That　is　the　story　of　the　Snowdrop。
  THE　END
  。