Page 134 - СКАЗКИ СНЕЖНОГО ЭЛЬФА

being a beautiful nice flower. New flakes were falling down
from above; they stood still, fell asleep and made the body
of the Snowdrift still thicker. But the Flower tried its best
to be after and believe even when snow weighed upon it,
trying to crush it, hiding the light and blocking fresh gusts
of the North Wind. The Flower was fighting to the last.
Then spring came and the Snowdrift got melting in the
insisting sunshine. The flowerflake found, to its horror,
that it was getting milder, too, and its wonderful petals
were melting.
‘Oh dear, I’m melting,’ it cried. ‘What about my dream?
I was after it and believed in it.’
‘Come here, please!’ A low wailing voice suddenly
reached its ears.
‘Who are you?’ The flowerflake was surprised.
‘I have no idea. I’m thirsty. Water me, please.’
Here the flowerflake realized that whether you are
willing or not, you have to help him who needs you. It no
longer resisted; its small body turned into a clear drop and
somebody drank it up eagerly.
For a while it didn’t feel anything, but then it instantly
started to grow up, feeling incredibly powerful and de-
lighted. It dashed up to where the loving sun was shining
and then opened its petals.
‘Oh,’ the Flower shievered and its stem moved. ‘ Am I
a real flower now?’
‘Yes, dear,’ the North Wind soothed him lovingly. ‘Now
you’re a spring flower, the first flower of spring, and you’re
wonderful, believe me.’

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