Page 120 - СКАЗКИ СНЕЖНОГО ЭЛЬФА
P. 120
Snow Boa and Sun Splinters
The day was bright and I came out for a stroll on
the river bank. Snow shone brilliantly; hundreds of
sun splinters darted from snowdrift to snowdrift; bare
tree branches were wrapped in delicate frosty gui-
pure. Spectacular scenery! Snow creaking under feet:
crunch-crunch – sounded so tasty. The frost felt at once:
strong, mischievous, nipping at cheeks, but pleasant,
like a stubble of beard touch in a morning kiss.
A snow ball dashed out of the forest, icy blue eyes
gleamed close to my face and Snezhik’s cold nose
pressed up against my cheek.
‘Snezhik, how are you? Glad to see you again! I’m just
walking. Will you join me?’
‘Alright. Not for long, though. I’m short of time.’ Say-
ing this, my little snow companion made himself com-
fortable on my shoulder.
‘I haven’t seen much of you lately. You’re flying some-
where, doing something. I miss you.’
‘Doing something… Of course, I am. Loads of snow,
you know. I’m the warden here. And things happen.
Snow beasts in the forest are dangerous. I had a mes-
sage about the Snow Boa seen on a branch of a lime-tree.
‘Well, what of it? Made of snow beasts, do they hurt
people?’
‘People? No way, I didn’t mean people. There’re oth-
er valuable creatures around. Sun splinters, for exam-
ple. Any idea of what might happen to them?’
109