onceuponaimewopoorwoodcuersweremakingheirwayhomehroughagreapineforesiwaswiner,andanighofbiercoldhesnowyhickuponheground,anduponhebranchesofherees:hefroskepsnappinghelilewigsoneihersideofhem,asheypassed:andwhenheycameohemounainorrenshewashangingmoionlessinair,forheicekinghadkissedher

socoldwasihaevenheanimalsandhebirdsdidnoknowwhaomakeofi

“ugh!”snarledhewolf,ashelimpedhroughhebrushwoodwihhisailbeweenhislegs,“hisisperfeclymonsrousweaherwhydoesn’hegovernmenlookoi?”

“wee!wee!wee!”wieredhegreenli

es,“heoldearhisdeadandheyhaveidherouinherwhieshroud”

“heearhisgoingobemarried,andhisisherbridaldress,”whisperedheurledovesoeachoherheirlilepinkfeewerequiefrosbien,buheyfelhaiwasheirduyoakearomanicviewofhesiuaion

“nonsense!”growledhewolf“iellyouhaiisallhefaulofhegovernmen,andifyoudon’believemeishalleayou”hewolfhadahoroughlypracicalmind,andwasneveraalossforagoodargumen

“well,formyownpar,”saidhewoodpecker,whowasabornphilosopher,“idon’careanaomicheoryforexpnaionsifahingisso,iisso,andapreseniiserriblycold”

erriblycoldicerainlywashelilesquirrels,wholivedinsideheallfirree,keprubbingeachoher’snosesokeephemselveswarm,andherabbiscurledhemselvesupinheirholes,anddidnovenureevenolookouofdoorsheonlypeoplewhoseemedoenjoyiwerehegreahornedowlsheirfeaherswerequiesiffwihrime,buheydidnomind,andheyrolledheirrgeyelloweyes,andcalledouoeachoheracrosshefores,“uwhi!uwhoo!uwhi!uwhoo!whadelighfulweaherwearehaving!”

onandonwenhewowoodcuers,blowinglusilyuponheirfingers,andsampingwihheirhugeironshodboosuponhecakedsnowonceheysankinoadeepdrif,andcameouaswhieasmillersare,whenhesonesaregrinding;andonceheyslippedonhehardsmoohicewherehemarshwaerwasfrozen,andheirfaggosfellouofheirbundles,andheyhadopickhemupandbindhemogeheragain;andonceheyhoughhaheyhadlosheirway,andagreaerrorseizedonhem,forheyknewhahesnowiscruelohosewhosleepinherarmsbuheypuheirrusinhegoodsainmarin,whowachesoverallravellers,andreracedheirseps,andwenwarily,andasheyreachedheouskirsofhefores,andsaw,fardowninhevalleybeneahhem,helighsofhevilgeinwhichheydwel

sooverjoyedwereheyaheirdeliverancehaheyughedaloud,andheearhseemedohemlikeaflowerofsilver,andhemoonlikeaflowerofgold

ye,aferhaheyhadughedheybecamesad,forheyrememberedheirpovery,andoneofhemsaidoheoher,“whydidwemakemerry,seeinghalifeisforherich,andnoforsuchasweare?beerhawehaddiedofcoldinhefores,orhasomewildbeashadfallenuponusandsinus”

“ruly,”answeredhiscompanion,“muchisgivenosome,andlileisgivenoohersinjusicehasparcelledouheworld,norishereequaldivisionofaughsaveofsorrow”