Read Online The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales by Arthur Ransome - Free Book Online

ground.
    She called out from the tree,—
    â€œAi, ai, little friends, have pity on the little snow girl.”
    An old brown bear heard her, and came shambling up on his heavy paws.
    â€œWhat are you crying about, little daughter of the Snow?”
    â€œO big bear,” says the little snow girl, “how can I help crying? I have lost my way, and dusk is falling, and all my little friends are gone.”
    â€œI will take you home,” says the old brown bear.
    â€œO big bear,” says the little snow girl, “I am afraid of you. I think you would eat me. I would rather go home with some one else.”
    So the bear shambled away and left her.
    An old gray wolf heard her, and came galloping up on his swift feet. He stood under the tree and asked,—
    â€œWhat are you crying about, little daughter of the Snow?”
    â€œO gray wolf,” says the little snow girl, “how can I help crying? I have lost my way, and it is getting dark, and all my little friends are gone.”
    â€œI will take you home,” says the old gray wolf.
    â€œO gray wolf,” says the little snow girl, “I am afraid of you. I think you would eat me. I would rather go home with some one else.”
    So the wolf galloped away and left her.
    An old red fox heard her, and came running up to the tree on his little pads. He called out cheerfully,—
    â€œWhat are you crying about, little daughter of the Snow?”
    â€œO red fox,” says the little snow girl, “how can I help crying? I have lost my way, and it is quite dark, and all my little friends are gone.”
    â€œI will take you home,” says the old red fox.
    â€œO red fox,” says the little snow girl, “I am not afraid of you. I do not think you will eat me. I will go home with you, if you will take me.”
    So she scrambled down from the tree, and she held the fox by the hair of his back, and they ran together through the dark forest. Presently they saw the lights in the windows of the huts, and in a few minutes they were at the door of the hut that belonged to the old man and the old woman.
    And there were the old man and the old woman, crying and lamenting.
    â€œOh, what has become of our little snow girl?”
    â€œOh, where is our little white pigeon?”
    â€œHere I am,” says the little snow girl. “The kind red fox has brought me home. You must shut up the dogs.”
    The old man shut up the dogs.
    â€œWe are very grateful to you,” says he to the fox.
    â€œAre you really?” says the old red fox; “for I am very hungry.”
    â€œHere is a nice crust for you,” says the old woman.
    â€œOh,” says the fox, “but what I would like would be a nice plump hen. After all, your little snow girl is worth a nice plump hen.”
    â€œVery well,” says the old woman, but she grumbles to her husband.
    â€œHusband,” says she, “we have our little girl again.”
    â€œWe have,” says he; “thanks be for that.”
    â€œIt seems a waste to give away a good plump hen.”
    â€œIt does,” says he.
    â€œWell, I was thinking,” says the old woman, and then she tells him what she meant to do. And he went off and got two sacks.
    In one sack they put a fine plump hen, and in the other they put the fiercest of the dogs. They took the bags outside and called to the fox. The old red fox came up to them, licking his lips, because he was so hungry.
    They opened one sack, and out the hen fluttered. The old red fox was just going to seize her, when they opened the other sack, and out jumped the fierce dog. The poor fox saw his eyes flashing in the dark, and was so frightened that he ran all the way back into the deep forest, and never had the hen at all.
    â€œThat was well done,” said the old man and the old woman. “We have got our little snow girl, and not had to give away our plump hen.”
    Then they heard the little snow girl