"Let's make a snow man this morning. Will you, Peter? The snow is just
right for big balls."
"Then we will," said Peter. "But let's get Tim to help us."
Tim is Peter's playmate. He lives on a farm. His house is farther up the
hill. Look for it on the map in the front of this book.
Soon Tim was down at Peter's. His big dog Collie was with him. Wag-wag
and Collie are friends. They often play together.
The three children began to roll snowballs. Polly's grew very large. The
boys had to help her with it. They pushed it over and over. At last it
was quite near the edge of the bank.
"One more push," said Polly. "Then it will be just right. People can see
the man from the road."
But that push was too much. Over the edge of the bank the big ball
rolled.
"Oh, stop, stop!" cried Peter. "Do not run away. We will make you into a
good snow man."
But the ball did not stop. It rolled against Tim. It knocked him flat.
Peter and Polly fell down the bank after it. At last it smashed itself
against the fence.
"Never mind," said Polly. "We can make another. Do not let the next one
knock you down, Tim."
"Old snowball ran over me," said Tim. "But I do not care. He smashed
himself."
Another big ball was made. It was rolled into place. Then smaller ones
were lifted on it. These were for the body.
At last the head was ready. Polly stood in a chair. She stuck the head
on the body. She made eyes, a nose, and a mouth with small sticks.
She put an old hat on the head. She put a branch under the arm.
Then she said, "We will name you White Giant. You may take care of our
house at night. In the daytime you may play with us. Will you, old
Giant?"
Polly did not think that the snow man could talk. But just then she
heard some one say, "Of course I will play with you, Polly."
"Oh, oh! Has he come alive?" cried Peter. "Can he chase me? I do not
wish him to do that." And he ran behind Polly.
"I cannot chase you, Peter," the snow man seemed to say. "I cannot move
at all in the daytime. But at night you should see me."
"I saw you the other night in a dream," said Peter. "I did not like you.
You chased me."
"I will never do that again, Peter. So you must not be afraid of me."
Just then Tim cried out, "Look, look!" And there behind a tree was
Peter's father.
Polly laughed. "I know now that the snow man did not talk," she said.
"At first I thought he did. It was you, wasn't it, father?"
"Why do you think so, Polly? You didn't see me. Did it sound like me?"
"No, it did not, father," said Peter. "And I think it was the snow man.
I am going to watch him to-night and see."
"Why don't you?" asked father. "I should like to know about it. You tell
me when you find out. Where are your mittens, Tim? Aren't your hands
cold?"
"I've lost them. And Peter has lost one of his red ones. We can't find
them at all."
"Perhaps they are under the snow. The sun will help you find them by and
by. Peter, run in and tell mother. She will get some mittens for you and
Tim to wear.
"When you come back, bring the old broom. That is better than the branch
for your snow man. If you watch to-night, you may see what he does with
it."