Page 34 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

One winter Grebe did not fly south with all the other birds. She
decided to stay and take care of her friends Crane and Mallard, whose
wings were broken.
To feed herself, Grebe dived under the ice and caught fish. But the

Spirit of Winter envied her dexterity and froze the water while Grebe
was underwater. But she swam to the shore, where the reeds grew,
broke the ice with her beak, got out and flew home.
When she returned, she noticed that someone was peering through
the door. It was the Spirit of Winter trying to freeze her. Grebe made a
fire, but it was still cold. Then she decided to cheat the Spirit. Pulling

out a handkerchief, she began to dry herself with it, saying:
— Oh, how hot it is!
The spirit of Winter was afraid that the heat might melt it, and fled.
One day, Grebe decided to have a dinner party. She also invited the
Spirit of Winter. He entered - like a blizzard burst into the house. There
were icicles all over his face. Grebe lit a big fire. The flame rose higher
and higher. The icicles on the Spirit’s face began to melt, he was very

hot, but he did not want to leave, because he really liked the treat.
— Oh, how warm. It must be spring already, — said Grebe.
The spirit of Winter got so scared that it immediately ran out into the
street, and there it was already beginning to melt. He rushed with all
his might and barely made it to his home in the north.

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