There was a snowman standing¹ in the front yard of a big house. "It's too bright!" Snowman muttered to himself. "Be patient. The sun is going down." An old dog said sticking his head out of his house.

Soon, night fell. Snowman asked, "What's that up in the sky?" "It's the Moon. Well, you don't know about the Moon because you were just born today." The Moon was beautifully radiant in the dark. The branches of trees with snow crystal flowers were swaying in the wind.

"Oh, it's cold. Maybe it will get warm after the sun comes up." The old dog grumbled². "Do you like being warm?" The Snowman asked. "Yes. Look at that room in the bottom of the house. It's the master's room where I used to stay. There was a time I was loved by the master when I was a little puppy. Children patted on my head and gave me delicious food, but I grew up too quickly."

"I can see a light. That light makes my heart beat." "It's a fireplace. If you sit right next to the fireplace, you will feel warm and comfortable." "Why did you leave the house?" "I was kicked out because I bit the heel of a child." "Why?" "He took my food away and annoyed me."

It was mild the next day. "I wish I could walk like you and go next to the fireplace." "No way. If you go close to the fireplace, you will melt away." "Melt away?" "Yes, you'll melt away soon, and then, you will evaporate and disappear. " The next day was also mild. Some snow melted away and vanished because of the sunlight. The snowman was getting smaller and smaller, too. Snowman did not say anything.

Four days passed. The snow melted, so one of Snowman's eyes fell down to the ground. Snowman barely opened his mouth. "I wish I could walk far away." "Don't worry. The sun will help you." The old dog said. "How" "He will help you to become water and to flow far away along the stream I have seen several times that many of your brothers flowed away like that."

It was noon. The Snowman crumbled³ down on the ground. The broomstick that used to be the Snowman's backbone⁴, is now visible. Its other eye which was made by cloth, fell down to the ground too. "Snowman must have missed something warm and comfortable." The old dog muttered to himself sadly.