` Why are you so sad ? Are you ill ? or have they treated you unkindly ? ' ` No , ' replied Snowflake , ` it is nothing , mother ; no one has hurt me ; I am well . ' The spring sun had chased away the last snow from its hiding place under the hedges ; the fields were full of flowers ; nightingales sang in the trees , and all the world was gay . But the gayer grew the birds and the flowers the sadder became Snowflake . She hid herself from her playmates , and curled herself up where the shadows were deepest , like a lily amongst its leaves . Her only pleasure was to lie amid the green willows near some sparkling stream . At the dawn and at twilight only she seemed happy . When a great storm broke , and the earth was white with hail , she became bright and joyous as the Snowflake of old ; but when the clouds passed , and the hail melted beneath the sun , Snowflake would burst into tears and weep as a sister would weep over her brother . The spring passed , and it was the eve of St. John , or Midsummer Day . This was the greatest holiday of the year , when the young girls met in the woods to dance and play . They went to fetch Snowflake , and said to Marie : ` Let her come and dance with us . ' But Marie was afraid ; she could not tell why , only she could not bear the child to go . Snowflake did not wish to go either , but they had no excuse ready . So Marie kissed the girl and said : ` Go , my Snowflake , and be happy with your friends , and you , dear children , be careful of her . You know she is the light of my eyes to me . ' ` Oh , we will take care of her , ' cried the girls gaily , and they ran off to the woods . There they wore wreaths , gathered nosegays , and sang songs some sad , some merry . And whatever they did Snowflake did too .
When the sun set they lit a fire of dry grass , and placed themselves in a row , XXXXX being the last of all .
Day Marie Snowflake birds gayer nosegays spring storm twilight year