“To-morrow,” she said, “there is to be a great Garden Festival. A prize is to be given for the most original and beautiful blossom. All the flowers of the season will be here in the garden. You have been a good friend and a faithful helper. For reward, you may go to the Festival and stay as long as your heart desires.”
“But how shall I go?” queried the snowball.
“Right out through the end of one of my branches,” said Life-of-the-Bush.
“But I shall fall off,” said the snowball.
“I’ll tie you on with a stout string, so that not even the wind can blow you off.”
“But it’s hot outside. I shall melt.”
“O, no. I’ve changed you so the hottest sun cannot melt you.”
“But how can I get out through the end of the branch?” asked the snowball, who could not get it through his head that he could really get out to the end of a branch and stay there all day and not fall off or melt.
“Make yourself very small, just as small as when you came up to me and you can go out as easily as you run along these halls,” said Life-of-the-Bush.
The snowball became quite excited. The Festival was to begin very early in the morning. Besides he wanted to see, if he could, what had become of the other snowballs. So he decided that he would go out on the branch that night, while it was dark, and be there for the whole day’s fun.