Have you ever wondered where snowflakes come from and what they do while they glide softly down to earth? Well, let me tell you a little secret.
All day long I have been sitting in my cozy house by the sunny southern window, watching the birds and the flowers and the people passing with their light summer clothes. But at last my father said to me, “You must go now, Flurry!” And sure enough, when I looked out of the window, there was my one little star-shaped candle burning brightly, lighting up all the outside world, and making everybody hurry to have warm cloaks and mittens and overshoes put on.
Out of doors it was freezing cold. And no sooner did I tumble out of the window than I tumbled right down, down to the earth. “Oh! Oh! Oh!” cried a little boy who happened to be passing just then. “Just look at poor little Flurry—what a dreadful tumble she had!” And when he examined me he saw some pointed houses—all stuck together with a glittering white substance—running up and down my sides, and my knees bent together, and the rest of me was all fluffed out; so he knew I had lost the beautiful form I had when I left my Ah! yes, I do remember it now. But the worst of the matter is, I don’t know where they picked the best and prettiest of my little star brothers up. While I was enjoying the bouncing play, all my brothers and sisters flew everywhere all about me, and hopped and jumped about under the boy’s feet, and everybody said how nice it was to have such fine snow, and what a good time the little boys had been having all day long.
There was one little boy in particular who had had a fine time with a whole rail-car full of children. They ate boiled chestnuts, tumbled about over the straw, and joined in soulful choruses; they even squeaked and sang, “I am the Duke de Reichstadt,” with all their hearts, for they saw a soldier’s red pants in full front on the breast of their neighbor opposite. And what do you think they tossed right and left of their party all the way from Amsterdam to Utrecht? Just the loveliest snow, quite dry and finely curled. And wherever this was tossed, just so surely did it pelt right into my face and eyes, and all over my figure.
But tomorrow I shall have some more adventures in the world. Here I am! presiding over this snowdom, or white mountain, which the children have raised as a rampart and fortress against feet and sledges, so that all may serve as pallisades to the park. Summer-maids will hereafter have a bridge thrown over it and will hiss at those but a short distance above the deeps.
Flurry! Flurry! Hooray for the little snowstorm; now we will have some fine tumbling down! But if the good God does not send some fine little light snowflakes to play with I shall certainly feel very lonely indeed.