THE SNOW-MAN
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say anything, and he did not complain, and those are bad signs.
One morning he broke up altogether. And lo! where he had stood there remained a broomstick standing upright, round which the boys had built him!
'Ah! now I understand why he loved the stove,' said the yard-dog. 'That is the raker they use to clean out the stove! The Snow-man had a stove-raker in his body! That's what was the matter with him! And now it's all over with him! Bow-wow!'
And before long it was all over with the winter too! 'Bow-wow!' barked the hoarse yard-dog.
But the young girl sang:
- Woods, your bright green garments don!
- Willows, your woolly gloves put on!
- Lark and cuckoo, daily sing—
- February has brought the spring!
- My heart joins in your song so sweet;
- Come out, dear sun, the world to greet!
And no one thought of the Snow-man.
