North Wind blew through the woods.
The water in the little brook was covered with ice.
The birds tried to keep warm among the branches of the evergreen trees.
The rabbits slept in their warm home and did not come out very often.
The squirrels slept in their nests, and did not come out for days and days.
Blacky Crow stayed in the deep woods where the largest trees helped to keep him warm.
The ground had been covered with snow for two or three weeks.
And the squirrels and rabbits had taken long, long naps.
II
A few days before Christmas, Mr. Sun came up from behind the hills and shone brightly all day long.