_In which is shown the power of gentleness and mercy over physical
strength._
Long, long ago the Snow King looked down from his home on a great
mountain in the North, and said:
“I shall show my power and strength by covering all the earth with
a great mantle of snow; I shall lock in ice every stream and river;
when I blow my breath the poor shall shiver in their homes, the
leaves shall fall from the trees, the birds hide for fear of me,
and all the little animals in the forest shall hide in the ground,
and all shall say: ‘Oh, how strong, how terrible is the great Snow
King!’”
Mother Earth heard the boasting of her son and was sorry, for she
knew what suffering he could bring upon her children, so she said:
“Snow King, I pray you remember the poor, and be not cruel to my
children of the woods and trees.”
The Snow King laughed aloud and shook his hoary head. Every tree
and housetop was soon covered with the soft snow flakes that fell
from his hair and beard. He waved his arms until he had stilled the
music of all the brooklets and they were frozen hard and fast. Then
he blew his icy breath and the old women shivered with cold. The
little leaves fell from the trees; the birds sought shelter in the
swamps, and the rabbits and squirrels dug deep holes in the ground.
“This is a terrible winter,” said every one. “How awful is this
cold!”
However, a gentle daughter of Mother Earth named Spring, had
overheard the proud words of the Snow King and seen the suffering
he had caused. She said to herself:
“I, too, have power, and I shall use it to undo the work of my
brother, the Snow King.”
So after a while the maiden clothed herself in soft garments, and
on her feet she put sandals of flowers, and as she walked sweet
perfumes were wafted about her. She breathed upon the air and the
snow melted away, the streams resumed their laughter, the trees put
forth their leaves, the birds came again to nest in the branches,
and the little animals came out of their burrows and began to play
about the forest.
“This is beautiful weather,” said every one. “I am glad spring has
come, and the awful winter has passed.” And the whole earth smiled
because it felt so happy and full of promise.
Then the spring maiden turned to the Snow King and said:
“You see, O King, that I, too, am mighty on the earth--that I have
strength equal to yours and can undo all that you have done. My
power is even greater than yours, for mine is the power of love.”