I did a pretty terrible job of getting XMas presents out this year. Between timing, finances, and general madness things just didn't get done. The only package I managed to get mailed out (so far; two more pending) was to PAL KRIS. There really are more coming, I promise!
Anyway, because Kris sent me a totally awesome drawing of Mrs. Frisby and the Great Owl I got to thinking that I should do something special and hand made. Not being much of an artist I opted to write a story on the package.
It was a great full-circle moment. My dear Gran Betty was notorious through the entire US Postal system for her maddening labels and liberal use of foul smelling, aged packing tape that I could smell from the yard. Parcels weren't so much packed as "encased." Post cards would arrive with text that covered every side of the back, and frequently the front. Occasionally the text would be written in fun shapes.
Her mode of addressing a letter or parcel was peerless: "To Sally, her son Max, and their friend Saul (who can also read)." She meant well, I know, but it is hard not to look back on this and laugh.
And it was that background that lead me to do this.
What follows is my auspicious on-the-fly story. Do enjoy the thrilling tale of "Mr. Snow and She-Goat."
So it goes like this: Mr. Snow woke up on the last day of fall and walked to the door of his cabin in the woods. All the leaves had turned rusty and fallen on the forest floor, and only the great green pine trees were left in the woods. Mr. Snow smiled because he knew that soon his work would start, and he would being making snow for the whole world.At the thought of this he breathed a deep breath and let it out long and slow. Oh, what joyous work! But as he let out his long, slow breath, he saw it misting in the air in front of his face! "So cold already!" He said. "I must get to work!" So he went back into his cabin and folded away the bed on which he had slept for all of spring, summer, and fall. First, he made himself a big breakfast, because without that there was no way he'd have enough energy to make all the snow.
Then, he put on his big coat, and went outside to inspect his tools. They hung on the side of his cabin, under some pine boughs to keep the rain off them. Mr. Snow pulled back the first bough, and found his steel ice-tongs; heavy, and large enough to carry an ice block the size of a man! He picked them up and tested them three times. The joint went "squeak! Squeak! Squeak!" and the jaws went "snap! Snap! Snap!" "Good," said Mr. Snow. "These are ready to be used."
Next he pulled up another bough and found his sled; big enough to carry a whole town, and all the chickens in Amsterdam on it. Its runners were as big as two men, and were made from pure silver. Mr. Snow laid the sled on the wet ground and slid it back and forth three times. It went "sloop! Sloop! Sloop!"
"Good," said Mr. Snow. "This is ready to be used."Next Mr. Snow picked up another bough and found his ice knife. It was as long as a river, and had teeth like the mountains on the horizon. It would cut right through solid ice like it wasn't even there, but could not prick a finger or cut so much as a blade of grass. Mr. Snow picked it up and waved it through the air three times to test it. It went "swoop! Swoop! Swoop!"
"Good," said Mr. Snow. This is ready to be used. Last, he reached for the final bough but did not find anything underneath it! "How strange," said Mr. Snow. "I have my ice tongs, my silver sled, and my great ice knife, but where is my snow grinder!?"
Without his magic silver snow grinder Mr. Snow could not make any snow for winter! "Oh dear," said Mr. Snow. He got very worried. He looked all around the cabin for the snow grinder but did not see it anywhere. "Ah-HA!" Said Mr. Snow. "What's this?" in the mud where the snow grinder should be were fresh tracks. They headed away from Mr. Snow's cabin, and into the woods. Pilling his hood, Mr. Snow followed the racks, hoping that they would lead him to his snow grinder -- and soon! Because the first snow of winter was coming.
The tracks went on through the woods, under a log, and through a cold little river. Mr. Snow's big boots went "shlup! Shlup!" all the way, because it was so muddy. The tracks went on past the river, through the the meadow, and up the mountain to a cave. There, at the mouth of the cave stood She Goat, and her hooves were covered with mud.
"She Goat," said Mr. Snow. "I have walked all the way from my cabin over rivers, and mud to see you."
"Thank you, Mr. Snow." said She Goat. "It's every nice to see you."
Mr. Snow asked, "She Goat, did you take my snow grinder from my cabin?"
"I will tell you, Mr. Snow. But you must swear by all four seasons that when I tell you, you will listen and grant me a request."
"I will not," said Mr. Snow. "I have been robbed and greatly wronged, so I will not grant you a request, but I will listen and will not harm you if you swear by your horns to tell the truth."
"I swear by my horns, Mr. Snow," said She Goat. "I took your snow grinder because every year you first cover North Town with the most and deepest snow every year. It is beautiful and good, but because you do it so early, all of my children are trapped on the wrong side of the stone bridge that goes over the river. The shepherds cannot stay there, and my children spend all winter cold and hungry on the wrong side of the bridge," said She Goat.
Mr. Snow stroked his beard and said, "She Goat, I am sorry. You were right do do as you did. I will make you a promise. From now on, no snow will fall on North Town, the first place it snows on Earth, until the last of your children cross the stone bridge that goes over the river."
She Goat bowed and thanked Mr. Snow. Then, she went in to her mountain cave and brought out Mr. Snow's snow grinder. He tested it three times and it made the sound of snow flakes falling on ice in the dark. "Good," said Mr. Snow. "This is ready to be used."
The End!
