Page 14 - СКАЗКИ СНЕЖНОГО ЭЛЬФА

is to undergo some treatment. All this surely makes Snow
Maiden feel distressed. Crisis, isn’t it?’
Snezhik sighed, paused and then looked up, his won-
derful eyes flaming blue. ‘Now, are we making friends, or
I’m not the right person for you here?’
‘Don’t be silly, Snezhik, it was just out of the blue. The
thing is I have no idea how to make friends with you.
What do you go for?’
‘Fairy tales and stories, any kind. To listen or to tell.
I know lots of them. I get them from snowflakes and the
wind. Mum too, when she is in a good mood. She tells me
very nice stories, but they sound sad. Mum is proud and
cold-hearted, that ‘s why she, the Snow Queen, hasn’t got
any intimate friends. To be clear, she used to have some
and they are the ones she keeps talking about. And you?
Do you like fairy tales?’
‘I do, Snezhik. Both fairy tales and stories, it’ll be fun to
have you as my friend. But I’m freezing. There’s no snow,
but it’s winter cold.’ I shivered and jumped from foot to
foot.
Snezhik pouted. ‘Phew, just got to talking, warmed to
topics and here you’re cold. It’s dishonest!’
‘Snezhik, I’m not a snow maiden, I do get cold like other
people.’
‘Do you, really? How do you see our friendship then?
What kind of friends and storytellers would we make?’
Snezhik looked sad. ‘Have you got any friends?’
‘Of course, I have.’ I smiled. ‘ Unlike the Snow Queen,
I’ve got friends, both alive and virtual’.

11