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 . The Shirt-collar Translated from the German of Hans Andersen . There was once a fine gentleman whose entire worldly possessions consisted of a boot-jack and a hair-brush ; but he had the most beautiful shirt-collar in the world , and it is about this that we are going to hear a story . The shirt-collar was so old that he began to think about marrying ; and it happened one day that he and a garter came into the wash-tub together . ` Hulloa ! ' said the shirt-collar , ` never before have I seen anything so slim and delicate , so elegant and pretty ! May I be permitted to ask your name ? ' ' I sha n't tell you , ' said the garter . ` Where is the place of your abode ? ' asked the shirt-collar . But the garter was of a bashful disposition , and did not think it proper to answer . ` Perhaps you are a girdle ? ' said the shirt-collar , ` an under girdle ? for I see that you are for use as well as for ornament , my pretty miss ! ' ` You ought not to speak to me ! ' said the garter ' ` I 'm sure I have n't given you any encouragement ! '
` When anyone is as beautiful as you , ' said the XXXXX , ` is not that encouragement enough ? '
Andersen Snow-man Translated boot-jack cuckoo daily day hair-brush shirt-collar wash-tub