One day, in the winter, the children played about in the road and the two old folk looked on, sitting in the window seat. At last the children began to make a beautiful snow figure. Ivan and Mary looked on enjoying it.
All of a sudden Ivan said—
“Wife, suppose we make a snow figure?”
Mary was ready.
“Why not?” said she; “we might as well amuse ourselves a little. But what is the use of making a big figure? Better make a snow-child, since God has not given us a living one.”
“You are right,” said Ivan, and he took his hat and went out into the garden with his wife.
So they set to work to make a snow-child. They fashioned a little body, little hands, and little feet, and when all that was done they rolled a snow-ball and shaped it into a head.
“Heaven bless you!” cried a passer-by.
“Thanks,” replied Ivan.
“The help of Heaven is always good,” said Mary.