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early spring came she was as tall as a girl of twelve or thirteen years. Then, too, her mother noticed that although she had been always very cheerful and fond of play during the winter, she began to be less light-hearted every day, and to shrink from joining her playmates now that spring was calling every one out of doors to see the crisp new blades of grass, and the tiny leaves uncurling in the sunshine.

On one especially fine day some of the children of the village came by the house and called, "Snow White, won't you go with us to the woods? It's the

best time to get wild flowers, and there are ever so many of them in the sunny places."

Snow White hesitated, but her mother urged. "You have been indoors so much, dear child, that you will enjoy a day in the open air. Hadn't you better go?"

"If you think best, I will go," Snow White answered quietly; and then, a little reluctantly, took leave of her mother.

The children spent all the day in the woods, gathering flowers and making beautiful bouquets and wreaths and crowns; and when evening came they built a great fire to dance around.

When the fire had begun to crackle and flare in lively fashion, the children started circling round and round the flaming pile, singing as they danced. Snow White had stepped back into the shadow of the trees, but soon she was discovered by the others, and they called to her: "Oh, this is ever so much fun. Wouldn't you like to play too? All you have to do is to follow the leader." Not wishing to be coaxed, she took the place that they made for her in the ring. Then they whirled again about the blaze, until suddenly, unclasping hands, one after another they jumped through the fire. All at once, in the midst of the laughter and singing, was heard a sigh more gentle than the murmur of the spring breeze among the leaves, yet as distinct as if there had been complete silence. The game stopped, and the startled children looked about to find where the sound had come from. Thus they discovered that Snow White was no longer in the circle.

"O, what has happened to Snow White?" some one cried. And then, one after another, they began

to call the little girl's name, but no response came to their shouts. Thinking that perhaps she was in hiding, they prowled about where the trees grew close together, or where the underbrush was thick. Nowhere could she be found. Terrified, the children sent for Ivan and Marie; and a search was made throughout the woods and the village and all the surrounding country. But the search was vain; for in passing through the fire, Snow White had been changed into a little, unseen cloud of vapor that floated above the heads of the dancing children, far upward into the sky from which she had come in the form of a flake of snow.

Probably you will think this a good story to read to your little sister or brother. In case it seems a trifle sad, you will like to know that it is only a poetic way in which the Russian people used to tell of the arrival of the snow and of the winter weather that quickly becomes very cold and remains so for several months. Snow White, you see, represents the snow; and of course she grows very rapidly as the cold becomes more and more keen. She is last found in the deep forest, but even there she must disappear when spring warms the earth.

Perhaps you can explain this meaning very simply when you read the story to small children. And you can tell them, too, that Ivan, Marie, and the little playmates of Snow White could not have grieved long, for they must have been very glad to have the spring come, driving away the gloom of winter and rousing all the earth from its long sleep. Besides, they knew that in due time the snow must return, bringing again to earth the little Snow Maiden.

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WYNKEN, Blynken, and Nod one night

Sailed off in a wooden shoe

Sailed on a river of crystal light,

Into a sea of dew.

"Where are you going, and what do you wish?" The old moon asked the three.

"We have come to fish for the herring fish That live in this beautiful sea;

Nets of silver and gold have we!"

Said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,

As they rocked in the wooden shoe,

And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.

The little stars were the herring fish

That lived in that beautiful sea

Now cast your nets wherever you wish-
Never afeard are we!"

So cried the stars to the fishermen three,
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.

All night long their nets they threw

To the stars in the twinkling foam

Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,

Bringing the fishermen home;

'Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed

As if it could not be,

And some folks thought 'twas a dream they'd

dreamed

Of sailing that beautiful sea

But I shall name you the fishermen three:

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,

And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.

So shut your eyes while mother sings

Of wonderful sights that be,

And you shall see the beautiful things

As you rock in the misty sea,

Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen threeWynken, Blynken, and Nod.

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