text: > look around
  The forest edge lies to the northeast and the gently rolling snowy hills continue no further than a row of hedges to the southwest. A snowman stands here in front of the hedges.
  
  > go east
  The underbrush is too thick in that direction.
  
  > go north
  This is the edge of a vast expanse of snowy hills that continue to the north and northeast. The hills are completely covered in powdery white snow that glistens in the soft moonlight. A path extends from the northwest to the east. The forest continues in all other directions.
  
  > Go east
  The oak dryad peers down at you as you stand in this small clearing in the dark wood. The moonlight filters through his dark bare branches and makes unusual patterns on the snowy ground. A path runs through the little clearing from the east to the west, but many other directions appear passable as well.
  
  A lit lantern hangs just within your reach from one of the long twisted branches of the oak.
  
  Your handful of snow finally melts and slips through your fingers.
  
  > Go east
  A path, outlined upon the snow-covered ground by two rows of stones, begins here and continues to the southeast. Moonbeams streak through the tops of the giant fir trees illuminating your way.
  
  > search the snow
  The hills are completely covered by a thick layer of snow. You feet sink in quite a bit when you walk.
  
  You hear a ringing bell in the distance and can barely make out a little snow sprite running across the hilltops in the distance.
  
  > examine the hills
  The powdery white snow has become slushy in this direction, and you sink in to your knees. You can scarcely make out the silhouettes of the forest trees against the starry midnight sky to the south and southwest. The gleaming snow-covered hills continue to the west.
  
  A little white snow sprite carrying a golden bell runs across the snowy hills laughing and tumbling. As soon as it spots you, it runs right up to you stops just a few feet away.
  
  > Wait
  A gentle breeze tosses about the thin fabric of your dress.
  
  > go northwest
  In the hemisphere of your sight, the horizon to your feet is a blur of white peaks and valleys, while the entire starry sky above is a deep midnight blue that is pierced by the gleaming full silvery moon.
  
  Suddenly, you are smacked in the head by a snowball. You whirl about to see a devilish little snow sprite giggling at you. It suddenly jumps up, does a back flip and then disappears into the snow.
  
  > go to the north
  You wander up and down the snow-covered hills, but eventually find yourself back where you started.
  
  A little white snow sprite runs right by you carrying a large golden bell in both its hands over its head. It giggles and laughs mischievously, then does a few somersaults and disappears back into the snow.
  
  > go east
  The powdery white snow has become slushy in this direction, and you sink in to your knees. You can scarcely make out the silhouettes of the forest trees against the starry midnight sky to the south and southwest. The gleaming snow-covered hills continue to the west.
  
  A mischievous little snow sprite is standing here making faces at you and giggling.
  
  > go to the north-east
  The forest has thinned in this area at the foothills of a great mountain range that lies to the north. In the moonlight, you see that the undergrowth has thinned to the southwest which leads toward the forest. A small hole, barely noticeable in the shadows, extends into the mountain directly to the north.
  
  > examine the hole
  The hole is incredibly dark and menacing.
  
  > go north
  The hole is incredibly dark and menacing, so you decide against entering.
  
  > Go west
  You see the dwarf retreat into the darkness of the tunnel to the north as he pushes the old rusty miner's cart.
  
  Inside the cave, you can barely make out the shapes within this chamber. The moonlight trickles in barely illuminating the metal tracks upon which the cart rolls. The tracks appear to originate from somewhere in a tunnel to the north and then divide here in this chamber. One set of tracks leads back out to the east while the other continues into a tunnel to the southwest. Near the junction of the tracks, you can barely see a tall metal lever reflecting in the moonlight.
  
  > wait a while
  Time passes.
  
  You hear the faint grinding of the miner's cart on the tracks as it returns from the tunnel to the north. The cart rolls into the cave and follows the tracks which now lead into the cave to the southwest. The dwarf passes by oblivious to your presence.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The miner's cart emerges from the tunnel to the southwest and rides upon the tracks until it crosses over the junction. The dwarf then hobbles around to the other side of the cart and stops its motion. He emerges from the back side of the cart and pulls the lever back. A loud clap thunders through the caves as the track is connected back to the tracks leading east. As he pushes the cart out of the mine, the dwarf curves his mouth downward in a mean pout and narrows his beady black eyes at you.
  
  > Go east
  You pass by the dwarf pushing his empty cart as you exit the cave.
  
  This is the base of a giant mountain to the north. The rocky landscape continues to the west. Snow-covered plateaus glisten in the moonlight high above. The path stops just in front of the mouth of a cave in the mountainside to the west. Railroad tracks lead from deep inside the cave to a large pile of round stones a few yards from the cave entrance. Looking to the east and southeast, you see the edge of the snowy hills. The mountainous terrain appears impassable in other directions.
  
  > examine the pile
  The tall rock pile is made up of hundreds and hundreds of small, grey rounded stones.
  
  > get the stones
  (the rock pile)
  You scoop up a handful of the grey rocks, but hear the gnome returning from within the mine, so you quickly step away from the rock pile.
  
  You hear the faint groaning of creaky wheels echoing from within the cave. The scraping of metal becomes louder and louder, and suddenly an old mining cart filled with small grey stones emerges from the cave entrance. A stocky, pug-nosed dwarf with a lit candle on his hat pushes the cart along the tracks from behind. Quite oblivious or unconcerned by your presence, he continues pushing the cart until it reaches the stone pile where he dumps his load of stones. He then slowly marches around the cart to the other side and pushes it back into the darkness of the cave.
  
  > Go east
  The vast expanse of snowy hills continue in nearly all directions. A tall mountain rises to the west, and you can barely make out the forest edge to the southeast.
  
  > give the stones to the dryad
  "But so dull and lifeless be the lot, you must now make them piping hot!" The dryad peers at you discriminatingly, "But what's this? You have so few! No, no little one, that will never do."
  
  > put the stocking on the fireplace
  You put the stocking on the mantle.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  handsome leather shoes
  a candle stick
  
  > look in the stocking
  The brown stocking is long and thin.
  
  > examine the mantle
  The large fireplace is made of red bricks. A raging fire blazes in the hearth causing the kettle's water to boil ferociously. On the mantle, you see a stocking, inside which contains a handful of grey stones.
  
  > Tie stocking
  What do you want to tie the stocking to?
  
  > take the stocking
  Taken.
  
  > go to the north-west
  As you walk, the forest thins and soon, you leave it behind entirely.
  
  The vast expanse of snowy hills continue in nearly all directions. A tall mountain rises to the west, and you can barely make out the forest edge to the southeast.
  
  > fill the stocking with the stones
  (the rock pile)
  You scoop up a handful of the round rocks, but hear the gnome returning from within the mine, so you quickly step away from the rock pile.
  
  You hear the faint groaning of creaky wheels echoing from within the cave. The scraping of metal becomes louder and louder, and suddenly an old mining cart filled with small grey stones emerges from the cave entrance. A stocky, pug-nosed dwarf with a lit candle on his hat pushes the cart along the tracks from behind. Quite oblivious or unconcerned by your presence, he continues pushing the cart until it reaches the stone pile where he dumps his load of stones. He then slowly marches around the cart to the other side and pushes it back into the darkness of the cave.
  
  > fill the stocking with stones
  (the rock pile)
  You quickly fill the stocking with as many of the round grey stones as you can.
  
  > Go southeast
  This is the edge of a vast expanse of snowy hills that continue to the north and northeast. The hills are completely covered in powdery white snow that glistens in the soft moonlight. A path extends from the northwest to the east. The forest continues in all other directions.
  
  > go southeast
  The underbrush soon becomes too thick in that direction.
  
  Suddenly, you are smacked in the head by a snowball. You whirl about to see a devilish little snow sprite giggling at you. It suddenly jumps up, does a back flip and then disappears into the snow.
  
  > put the stocking in the kettle
  You empty the stockingful of grey stones into the boiling water which instantly froths and churns. The water hisses furiously and then bubbles up over the rim of the kettle. The hot liquid flows over the side of the black kettle and falls onto the tall orange flames below. You stand back as clouds of steam and soot pour forth from the hearth. When the steam clears, you see the flames have been extinguished.
  
  As the warm air in the room begins to escape through the chimney now that the burning fire has been extinguished, the baubles which had been placidly lilting about the room suddenly rush to the fireplace and in an instant are swept up into the chimney and out the top. You rush over to one of the windows and pull back the drape. You can see the baubles, with their perfectly rounded surfaces shining in the moonlight, up high in the air and slowly drifting to the northwest.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a stocking
  handsome leather shoes
  a candle stick
  
  > go northwest
  The front of a small wooden cottage faces to the west on the far side of this forest clearing. Without the concealing canopy of branches, you see shiny points of light twinkle in the dark sky. The underbrush has grown thick in this area, but it has been cleared away to the east and also looks passable to the southeast. The stone-lined path leads back into the forest to the west. The windows of the cottage appear dark, but curls of smoke billow from the chimney.
  
  > ask the dryad about yourself
  The dryad looks down at you with mischievous eyes and exclaims, "Children? Ah, yes I've seen a few. And over the years, I may have eaten one or two!"
  
  > ask the dryad about the dryad
  "A deep booming voice responds, "I am the dryad that guards this tree, now be on your way and let me be!"
  
  You suddenly hear a rustling above you, but before you can react, you are pummeled by clumps of snow as the icy patches are dislodged from the branches above.
  
  > ask the dryad about the lantern
  "No, no!" chides the oak, "I need this pretty glowing light to show my cheer for solstice night!"
  
  > Go north
  In the hemisphere of your sight, the horizon to your feet is a blur of white peaks and valleys, while the entire starry sky above is a deep midnight blue that is pierced by the gleaming full silvery moon.
  
  A little white snow sprite runs right by you carrying a large golden bell in both its hands over its head. It giggles and laughs mischievously, then does a few somersaults and disappears back into the snow.
  
  > Go east
  Snow covered peaks and valleys continue to the horizon as far as your eyes can see while the midnight sky above is speckled with fine points of light. The snowy hills continue all across the northern horizon and the forest lies to the south.
  
  A little white snow sprite runs right by you carrying a large golden bell in both its hands over its head. It giggles and laughs mischievously, then does a few somersaults and disappears back into the snow.
  
  > look at the sky
  The night sky is a marvelous shade of midnight blue. It is the perfect backdrop for the thousands of scintillating points of starlight.
  
  > Go east
  The powdery white snow has become slushy in this direction, and you sink in to your knees. You can scarcely make out the silhouettes of the forest trees against the starry midnight sky to the south and southwest. The gleaming snow-covered hills continue to the west.
  
  A mischievous little snow sprite is standing here making faces at you and giggling.
  
  Off in the distance to the northern hills beyond, you spot a tall figure walking in front of a white horse. You can faintly hear the jingling of bells which fades away as the two of them disappear behind one of the distant snowy hills.
  
  > go northeast
  The snow is far too cold and wet to travel upon in that direction.
  
  The snow sprite does flips and cartwheels across the top of the snow and then suddenly disappears beneath.