itisaninnocentwish,andinnocentwishesaresuretobefulfilled.imustgointhereandleanagainsther,evenifihavetobreakthewindow."

"youmustnevergointhere,"saidtheyard-dog,"forifyouapproachthestove,you'llmeltaway,away."

"imightaswellgo,"saidthesnowman,"forithinkiambreakingupasitis."

duringthewholedaythesnowmanstoodlookinginthroughthewindow,andinthetwilighthourtheroombecamestillmoreinviting,forfromthestovecameagentleglow,notlikethesunorthemoon;no,onlythebrightlightwhichgleamsfromastovewhenithasbeenwellfed.whenthedoorofthestovewasopened,theflamesdartedoutofitsmouth;thisiscustomarywithallstoves.thelightoftheflamesfelldirectlyonthefaceandbreastofthesnowmanwitharuddygleam."icanendureitnolonger,"saidhe;"howbeautifulitlookswhenitstretchesoutitstongue?"

thenightwaslong,butdidnotappearsotothesnowman,whostoodthereenjoyinghisownreflections,andcracklingwiththethemorning,thewindow-panesofthehousekeeper'sroomwerecoveredwithice.theywerethemostbeautifulice-flowersanysnowmancoulddesire,buttheyconcealedthestove.thesewindow-paneswouldnotthaw,andhecouldseenothingofthestove,whichhepicturedtohimself,asifithadbeenalovelyhumanbeing.thesnowcrackledandthewindwhistledaroundhim;itwasjustthekindoffrostyweatherasnowmanmightthoroughlyenjoy.buthedidnotenjoyit;how,indeed,couldheenjoyanythingwhenhewas"stovesick?"

"thatisterriblediseaseforasnowman,"saidtheyard-dog;"ihavesufferedfromitmyself,butigotoverit.away,away,"hebarkedandthenheadded,"theweatherisgoingtochange."andtheweatherdidchange;itbegantothaw.asthewarmthincreased,thesnowmandecreased.hesaidnothingandmadenocomplaint,whichisasuresign.onemorninghebroke,andsunkdownaltogether;and,behold,wherehehadstood,somethinglikeabroomstickremainedstickingupintheground.itwasthepoleroundwhichtheboyshadbuilthimup."ah,nowiunderstandwhyhehadsuchagreatlongingforthestove,"saidtheyard-dog."why,there'stheshovelthatisusedforcleaningoutthestove,fastenedtothepole."thesnowmanhadastovescraperinhisbody;thatwaswhatmovedhimso."butit'sallovernow.away,away."andsoonthewinterpassed."away,away,"barkedthehoarseyard-dog.butthegirlsinthehousesang,

"comefromyourfragranthome,greenthyme;

stretchyoursoftbranches,willow-tree;

themonthsarebringingthesweetspring-time,

whenthelarkintheskysingsjoyfully.

comegentlesun,whilethecuckoosings,

andi'llmockhisnoteinmywanderings."

andnobodythoughtanymoreofthesnowman.

theend.