Then all the court applauded , and the king and queen accepted Jesper as their son-in-law , and the princess was very well pleased , for by this time she had quite fallen in love with him , because he was so handsome and so clever . When the old king got time to think over it , he was quite convinced that his kingdom would be safe in Jesper 's hands if he looked after the people as well as he herded the hares . -LRB- Scandinavian . -RRB- THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS On a bitter night somewhere between Christmas and the New Year , a man set out to walk to the neighbouring village . It was not many miles off , but the snow was so thick that there were no roads , or walls , or hedges left to guide him , and very soon he lost his way altogether , and was glad to get shelter from the wind behind a thick juniper tree . Here he resolved to spend the night , thinking that when the sun rose he would be able to see his path again . So he tucked his legs snugly under him like a hedgehog , rolled himself up in his sheepskin , and went to sleep . How long he slept , I can not tell you , but after awhile he became aware that some one was gently shaking him , while a stranger whispered , ` My good man , get up ! If you lie there any more , you will be buried in the snow , and no one will ever know what became of you . ' The sleeper slowly raised his head from his furs , and opened his heavy eyes . Near him stood a long thin man , holding in his hand a young fir tree taller than himself . ` Come with me , ' said the man , ' a little way off we have made a large fire , and you will rest far better there than out upon this moor . ' The sleeper did not wait to be asked twice , but rose at once and followed the stranger . The snow was falling so fast that he could not see three steps in front of him , till the stranger waved his staff , when the drifts parted before them . Very soon they reached a wood , and saw the friendly glow of a fire . ` What is your name ? ' asked the stranger , suddenly turning round . ' I am called Hans , the son of Long Hans , ' said the peasant . In front of the fire three men were sitting clothed in white , just as if it was summer , and for about thirty feet all round winter had been banished . The moss was dry and the plants green , while the grass seemed all alive with the hum of bees and cockchafers .
But above the noise the son of Long Hans could hear the whistling of the wind and the crackling of the branches as they fell beneath the weight XXXXX the snow .
Near On So as at between in like of than