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It was a cutting cold！ The days which now e brought not asingle sunbeam。 It was weather that might break such a little Flowerin two with cold。 But the Flower had more strength than she herselfknew of。 She was strong in joy and in faith in the summer； which wouldbe sure to e； which had been announced by her deep longing andconfirmed by the warm sunlight； and so she remained standing inconfidence in the snow in her white garment； bending her head evenwhile the snow…flakes fell thick and heavy； and the icy winds sweptover her。
〃You'll break！〃 they said； 〃and fade； and fade！ What did youwant out here？ Why did you let yourself be tempted？ The Sunbeam onlymade 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 standsone… how beautiful； how beautiful！ The first one； the only one！〃
These words did the Flower so much good； they seemed to her likewarm sunbeams。 In her joy the Flower did not even feel when it wasbroken off。 It lay in a child's hand； and was kissed by a child'smouth； and carried into a warm room； and looked on by gentle eyes； andput into water。 How strengthening； how invigorating！ The Flowerthought she had suddenly e 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 anexamination for an appointment。 〃He shall be my summer gauk；〃 shesaid； and she took the delicate Flower and laid it in a piece ofscented paper； on which verses were written； beginning with summergauk and ending with summer gauk。 〃My friend； be a winter gauk。〃 Shehad 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 foldedin the letter； too。 It was dark around her； dark as in those days whenshe 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 atall pleasant； but that soon came to an end。
The journey was over； the letter was opened； and read by thedear friend。 How pleased he was！ He kissed the letter； and it waslaid； with its enclosure of verses； in a box； in which there were manybeautiful verses； but all of them without flowers； she was thefirst； the only one； as the Sunbeams had called her； and it was apleasant thing to think of that。
She had time enough； moreover； to think about it； she thought ofit while the summer passed away； and the long winter went by； andthe summer came again； before she appeared once more。 But now theyoung man was not pleased at all。 He took hold of the letter veryroughly； and threw the verses away； so that the Flower fell on theground。 Flat and faded she certainly was； but why should she be thrownon the ground？ Still； it was better to be here than in the fire； wherethe 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 wasa 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 flattenedSnowdrop； that looked as if it had been painted upon the floor。 Theservant girl； who was sweeping out the room； picked it up； and laid itin one of the books which were upon the table； in the belief that itmust have fallen out while the room was being arranged。 Again theflower lay among verses… printed verses… and they are better thanwritten ones… at least； more money has been spent upon them。
And after this years went by。 The book stood upon thebook…shelf； and then it was taken up and somebody read out of it。 Itwas a good book； verses and songs by the old Danish poet； AmbrosiusStub； which are well worth reading。 The man who was now reading thebook turned over a page。
〃Why； there's a flower！〃 he said； 〃a snowdrop； a summer gauk； apoet 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 cametoo early； before his time； and therefore he had to taste the sharpwinds； and wander about as a guest from one noble landed proprietor toanother； 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 atoken in the book； thou little snowdrop： thou hast been put there witha meaning。〃
And so the Snowdrop was put back into the book； and felt equallyhonored and pleased to know that it was a token in the glorious bookof songs； and that he who was the first to sing and to write hadbeen also a snowdrop； had been a summer gauk； and had been looked uponin the winter…time as a fool。 The Flower understood this； in herway； as we interpret everything in our way。
That is the story of the Snowdrop。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE STORKS
by Hans Christian Andersen
ON the last house in a little village the storks had built a nest；and the mother stork sat in it with her four young ones； who stretchedout their necks and pointed their black beaks； which had not yetturned red like those of the parent birds。 A little way off； on theedge of the roof； stood the father stork； quite upright and stiff； notliking to be quite idle； he drew up one leg； and stood on the other；so still that it seemed almost as if he were carved in wood。 〃Itmust look very grand；〃 thought he； 〃for my wife to have a sentryguarding her nest。 They do not know that I am her husband； they willthink I have been manded to stand here； which is quitearistocratic；〃 and so he continued standing on one leg。
In the street below were a number of children at play； and whenthey caught sight of the storks； one of the boldest amongst the boysbegan to sing a song about them； and very soon he was joined by therest。 These are the words of the song； but each only sang what hecould remember of them in his own way。
〃Stork； stork； fly away；
Stand not on one leg； I pray；
See your wife is in her nest；
With her little ones at rest。
They will hang one；
And fry another；
They will shoot a third；
And roast his brother。〃
〃Just hear what those boys are singing；〃 said the young storks；〃they say we shall be hanged and roasted。〃
〃Never mind what they say； you need not listen；〃 said themother。 〃They can do no harm。〃
But the boys went on singing and pointing at the storks； andmocking at them； excepting one of the boys whose name was Peter； hesaid it was a shame to make fun of animals； and would not join withthem at all。 The mother stork forted her young ones； and toldthem not to mind。 〃See；〃 she said； 〃How quiet your father stands；although he is only on one leg。〃
〃But we are very much frightened；〃 said the young storks； and theydrew back their heads into the nests。
The next day when the children were playing together； and sawthe storks； they sang the song again…
〃They will hang one；
And roast another。〃
〃Shall we be hanged and roasted？〃 asked the young storks。
〃No； certainly not；〃 said the mother。 〃I will teach you to fly；and when you have learnt； we will fly into the meadows； and pay avisit to the frogs； who will bow themselves to us in the water； andcry 'Croak； croak；' and then we shall eat them up； that will be fun。〃
〃And what next？〃 asked the young storks。
〃Then；〃 replied the mother； 〃all the storks in the country willassemble together； and go through their autumn manoeuvres； so thatit is very important for every one to know how to fly properly。 Ifthey do not； the general will thrust them through with his beak； andkill them。 Therefore you must take pains and learn； so as to beready when the drilling begins。〃
〃Then we may be killed after all； as the boys say； and hark！they are singing again。〃
〃Listen to me； and not to them；〃 said the mother stork。 〃After thegreat review is over； we shall fly away to warm countries far fromhence； where there are mountains and forests。 To Egypt； where we shallsee three…cornered houses built of stone； with pointed tops that reachnearly to the clouds。 They are called Pyramids； and are older than astork could ima