Speaker 1: The Ambitious Snowflake by S. Sutton Moore. There is a
very beautiful land hidden from mortal eyes, where thousands and
thousands of snowflakes are borne every year. If men and
women had clearer sight, they would see that each little
white atom contained a lovely wee seprite. These dainty fairies
travel in large families, and as is the case with
human beings, many kinds of character make up the family party.
I am going to do very great things, said Najette,
an unusually large and beautiful snowflake, and you must all
come and help me to do them. And she waved
her tiny crystal wand imperiously, what are you going to do?
Tell us? Nicheded, cried the large family of brothers and sisters, Well,
said Nichete. As they sailed along. There is a country
ruled by the greatest queen that ever leaved. And little
Irmine told me all about her. His family do not
like her because she dresses in nothing but tales of
his friends, so he says, But I don't quite believe that.
But I am going to see for myself. I intend
to fall right into her hands. They say she holds
the keys of the world, and I am going to
end in the sight of all the millions of people
over whom she rules. It will be seeing that Nigette's
ideas of things were not quite right, but the admiring
family circle only uttered ohs of family admiration and wonder.
They did nothing but talk about it among themselves as
they blindly followed Nigette through the sharp, cold air. Nigette, too,
was so occupied with her great thoughts about the stir
she was to make in the big unknown world, that
she did not see where she was going and blundered
right into a most curious trap, and all her family
followed her. Of course, this was a very strange thing.
It is not often a trap is set for snowflakes.
But there was a cause, a very urgent cause, for
the setting of this one. King Magnificus and his squeam
Splendidoza had one son who was most terribly spoiled. Prince
Superbus had such a fiery disposition that his life was
despaired of unless he could be kept cool. So, after
many and long deliberations, the court physicians had most wisely
decided to order snowflakes to be caught and kept all
over the palace, so that they might call the air
and so correct the heat of the Prince's temper. For
this reason, unwary snowflakes were captured, frozen stiff by the
court magicians and placed in crystal boxes. This was very
trying for the courtiers, who all caught tremendous colds, and
the court physicians were kept busy all the year round
trying to cure them. However, it became so unfashionable not
to sneeze that everyone was soon resigned to his fate,
and as the ladies found furs surprisingly becoming, they were
very soon reconciled to the inevitable Prince. Berbus had been
worse than ever on the day of Nigette's capture, so
she and all her family were quickly shut up in
his special ten and the Prince left in solitude. Finally,
he began kicking at the crystal boxes, and that greatly
upset Neigette's dignity. So she called out as loudly as
she could, Prince Superbus, what are you doing. The Prince
stood as still as if he had been suddenly turned
into stone. Then he peered about, but at first could
find no one. At length, the idea struck him to
look in the crystal boxes, and when he saw sprite
after sprite sitting disconsolately in their prisons, he laughed at right.
Nijette grew very angry. Indeed, you may laugh, she cried indignantly.
But if you were a nice boy, you would not
behave in such a ridiculous fashion interfering with other people's
lives in this way. Pray, why should we be shut
up in a box just because you like to be
so silly? Prince Superbus gasped in astonishment. This was quite
a new way of looking at his conduct. He knew
quite well that his mother and father were secretly delighted
at his wonderful high spirit, as they were pleased to
call it. He was greatly offended. I'll keep you there forever,
he said angrily. You ought to be glad you can
be useful to a prince, and he stormed out of
the room altogether. Nijed wept, but she had sense enough
to know now that she must make friends with the
prince if she were ever to carry out her grant
scheme of life. The next time Superbus came near her,
she said, she felt very dull and meekly asked the
Prince to come and talk to her. The first day
he refused, but presently he began to grow interested in
his pretty little prisoner and spent quite a long time
talking with her. The court physicians congratulated themselves on the
grand success of their treatment, and went about with their
noses so high in the air that one after another
they all had severe tumbles through not being able to
see where they were walking. This put the Prince in
a high good humor when the edifying procession came to
see him in the morning, for every single physician was
bandaged and plastered. Nijette soon discovered that the fiery Prince
was ambitious too, and so artfully did she talk and
talk that finally super Erbus came to the conclusion that
nothing would do but he must see this wonderful queen
who wore ermine tails, and to whom millions of people
bowed themselves down all day and all night. Tell me, Najette,
he said, tell me how I can come with you.
I do not think you can, said the artful spright,
knowing that was just the way to make Superbus all
the more determined. At last, she said, if you open
wide the windows to let the cold air in and
let us out of the boxes. We will change you
into a snowflake too, then you can come with us.
Superbus actually believed every word she said, opened the windows
and broke to pieces the crystal boxes. Then, of course,
all the snowflakes flew out into the frosty air, and
Nijette cried, good bye, Prince Berbus, I will tell the
great Queen you are coming now. Superbus stormed and raged
and shook his fist at the retreating snowflakes. Finally he
threw cushions at the King and Queen and all the physicians,
and behaved so badly that in self defense the court
magicians had to be called in to freeze him into quietness.
The Queen wept bitterly, and the King sniffed secretly, but
no one could find a better way out of the
difficulty at present. So now Nigette was free, and the
poor little prince a prisoner. The fairy family continued its
long journey, and some of the flakes began to feel
worn out and to express desire to settle down softly
on some object or other. I should like to stay here,
murmured one flake, looking longingly at some tall pines bending
under the weight of snow, And I hear sighed another
flake as they passed a snug little cottage with gleaming
windows and a roof already wide with its winter burden.
But Nichette sternly kept them altogether. We are getting nearer
journey's end. I feel sure, she said, reassuringly. They were,
in fact nearing a great city. Instead of lonely fir
trees and nestling cottages, there were rows and rows of
gleaming lights and houses. The snow did not keep wide
very long, and the little sprites quite shuddered at its
ugly color. But numbers of people were hurrying about in
a cheery fashion, heedless of the now fast falling flakes.
Mostly their hands were so full of queer shaped parcels
that they had not a free hand to hold an umbrella,
or even to give in friendly greeting. But they nodded
to each other and smile and said joyfully, A merry Christmas,
A merry Christmas. There were a great many happy little children,
looking very excited about something or other. Then some bells
began to ring, and the people seemed to grow happier
and happier. Even Nejette began to feel a wild desire
to tumble down among the happy crowd. However, she stilled
her heart against any such mud ideas, and decided to
look about for the great queen she had come to seek.
The snow had ceased falling now, and the sky grew
bright with stars, and Nijette heard people murmur seasonable weather,
This just the right weather for Christmas time. Fires were replenished,
pretty maidens wrapped themselves up in cozy firs. Grandmothers told
tales of cold winters they remembered, and grandfathers ate it
and abetted them. But at last all grew still, and
the cold grew more and more intense. As all these
sounds of joy and festivity died away into silence, Nijette
heard a sound of sobbing, and saw a little child
lying on the ground, clasping a bunch of crimson berries.
I wanted to give him to the kind lady. He
was sobbing. She liked him so last year, And I
be so cold, I can't walk no more. And down
the head dropped on the little chap's arms till he
sobbed himsel sleep he'll die of cold, cried Nigette, thinking
of a poor wee bird she had seen one day,
with its bright eyes glazed and its poor feet stretched
out stiff and straight and straightway. Forgetful of queen and glory,
she sailed softly down and rested lightly on the little
lonely figure to try to keep him warm. Down fluttered
all the flakes, and then more and more, till the
child's figure was covered with the soft white snow. Where
is the queen, asked one snowflake. I forgot all about her,
murmured Nigette, and she quietly melted away. Why what is this?
Cried a quiet voice as the speaker tumbled over the
little figure in the snow. Then it was not long
before the sleeping burden was carried into light and warmth,
and the poor wee Laddie restored to life again. His
childish story was soon told. The lady at whose gait
he had fallen had lost, visited him when sick, and
she had worn crimson holy berries in her warm fur mouth.
The child's quickeye noted how she caressed them, but he
did not know that it was for the sake of
the giver. He had tried to show his gratitude by
bringing her some this year, and had nearly fallen a
victim to the cold. Brave little man, cried the finder
of the little wanderer, when he heard how far he
had come. We shall share our happiness, he cried, turning
to the lady, who shyly smiled assent. And that was
the first of Ned's happy Christmases. First he was a
prosaic little page, all batons and importance. But though in
after years he ropes to positions of trust, he always
kept a shriveled bunch of holy berries in memory of
the Christmas night when his good fortune began. When he,
Jette had sunk down, regardless of her fine plans, she
of course, had expected the fate of every snowflake to
melt away into nothingness. Imagine her surprise then when she
awoke again, feeling bigger and looking more lovely than ever,
and by her side stood another white fairy, holding out
hands and greeting welcome. Nigette said the fairy, you are
one of us now. But the others they helped too.
They only went because you did. They did not give
up anything, for they cared nothing about the great Queen
Nijette smiled. Neither did she now how funny it seemed
to her that she ever did come, said her fairy guide.
You have one more task to perform, And the astonished
Nigette found herself before the palace of King Magnificus. It
cannot be a merry Christmas with one son frozen stiff.
The Queen was sobbing when the door opened and a
bewitching little white maiden stood smiling on the threshold. I believe, ma'am,
she said, I could help to keep Prince Superbus very
good tempered. Indeed, at once the Queen dragged her off
to the court magicians, and they, in their turn hurried
the two off for the court physicians, and in less
time than it takes to tell, Prince Barbus was free
once more. When he saw how very pretty Nigette looked,
he quite forgot she was the naughty little snow fairy
who had cheated him so and promised to be good
always if only the little maiden could stay to play
with him. So that was a merry Christmas at court.
In fact, there never was a merrier until years and
years later, when the boy and girl had grown up
to be handsome youth and sweetest maiden. And then there
was a wedding that Christmas, which put all weddings into
the shade that have ever been held before or since.
Before a glowing fire. A little boy was sitting enjoying
the cheerful blaze, and a motherly looking person was holding
a steaming basin of something good. The snow fairies saved me,
the little fellow was saying. The gentleman said, so, snow
fairies sniffed the comfortable looking party. You drink this and
see if it isn't much better than snow fairies. Such rubbish.
Another sniff, But the gentleman in the background laughed and
nodded at the boy. I shouldn't wonder if the snow
fairies know all about it, he said. Just then the
bells began ringing merrily, swiftly, as if they could not
tell their message quickly enough. Peace and good will, Peace
and good will, they pealed, and the kind lady bent
to kiss the little wistful face and cried and Merry Christmas.
Ned and of the ambitious snowflake by s sett On
Moore