ForalongtimetheFire-sonandtheSnow-daughterwanderedthroughtheworld，andwhenatthebeginningofwintertheycametoabigwoodtheydeterminedtostaytheretillspring。TheFire-sonbuilthimselfahutwherehealwayskeptupahugefire，whilehissisterwithveryfewclothesonstayedoutsidenightandday。NowithappenedonedaythattheKingofthelandheldahuntinthiswood，andsawtheSnow-daughterwanderingaboutintheopenair。Hewonderedverymuchwhothebeautifulgirlcladinsuchgarmentscouldbe，andhestoppedandspoketoher。Hesoonlearntthatshecouldnotstandheat，andthatherbrothercouldnotendurecold。TheKingwassocharmedbytheSnow-daughter，thatheaskedhertobehiswife。Thegirlconsented，andtheweddingwasheldwithmuchstate。TheKinghadahugehouseoficemadeforhiswifeunderground，sothateveninsummeritdidnotmelt。Butforhisbrother-in-lawhehadahousebuiltwithhugeovensallroundit，thatwerekeptheatedalldayandnight。TheFire-sonwasdelighted，buttheperpetualheatinwhichhelivedmadehisbodysohot，thatitwasdangeroustogotooclosetohim。
OnedaytheKinggaveagreatfeast，andaskedhisbrother-in-
lawamongtheotherguests。TheFire-sondidnotappeartilleveryonehadassembled，andwhenhedid，everyonefledoutsidetotheopenair，sointensewastheheathegaveforth。ThentheKingwasveryangryandsaid，’IfIhadknownwhatalotoftroubleyouwouldhavebeen，Iwouldneverhavetakenyouintomyhouse。’ThentheFire-sonrepliedwithalaugh，’Don’tbeangry，dearbrother！Iloveheatandmysisterlovescold——comehereandletmeembraceyou，andthenI’llgohomeatonce。’AndbeforetheKinghadtimetoreply，theFire-sonseizedhiminatightembrace。TheKingscreamedaloudinagony，andwhenhiswife，theSnow-daughter，whohadtakenrefugefromherbrotherinthenextroom，hurriedtohim，theKinglaydeadonthegroundburnttoacinder。WhentheSnow-daughtersawthissheturnedonherbrotherandflewathim。Thenafightbegan，thelikeofwhichhadneverbeenseenonearth。Whenthepeople，attractedbythenoise，hurriedtothespot，theysawtheSnow-daughtermeltingintowaterandtheFire-sonburntoacinder。Andsoendedtheunhappybrotherandsister。
FromtheRussian。
Therewasonceuponatimeapeasant-womanwhohadadaughterandastep-daughter。Thedaughterhadherownwayineverything，andwhatevershedidwasrightinhermother’seyes；butthepoorstep-daughterhadahardtime。Letherdowhatshewould，shewasalwaysblamed，andgotsmallthanksforallthetroubleshetook；nothingwasright，everythingwrong；andyet，ifthetruthwereknown，thegirlwasworthherweightingold——shewassounselfishandgood-hearted。Butherstep-motherdidnotlikeher，andthepoorgirl’sdayswerespentinweeping；foritwasimpossibletolivepeacefullywiththewoman。Thewickedshrewwasdeterminedtogetridofthegirlbyfairmeansorfoul，andkeptsayingtoherfather:’Sendheraway，oldman；sendheraway——anywheresothatmyeyessha’n’tbeplaguedanylongerbythesightofher，ormyearstormentedbythesoundofhervoice。
Sendheroutintothefields，andletthecuttingfrostdoforher。’
Invaindidthepooroldfatherweepandimploreherpity；shewasfirm，andhedarednotgainsayher。Soheplacedhisdaughterinasledge，notevendaringtogiveherahorse-clothtokeepherselfwarmwith，anddroveheroutontothebare，openfields，wherehekissedherandlefther，drivinghomeasfastashecould，thathemightnotwitnesshermiserabledeath。
Desertedbyherfather，thepoorgirlsatdownunderafir-treeattheedgeoftheforestandbegantoweepsilently。Suddenlysheheardafaintsound:itwasKingFrostspringingfromtreetotree，andcrackinghisfingersashewent。Atlengthhereachedthefir-treebeneathwhichshewassitting，andwithacrispcracklingsoundhealightedbesideher，andlookedatherlovelyface。
’Well，maiden，’hesnappedout，’doyouknowwhoIam？IamKingFrost，kingofthered-noses。’
’Allhailtoyou，greatKing！’answeredthegirl，inagentle，tremblingvoice。’Haveyoucometotakeme？’
’Areyouwarm，maiden？’hereplied。
’Quitewarm，KingFrost，’sheanswered，thoughsheshiveredasshespoke。
ThenKingFroststoopeddown，andbentoverthegirl，andthecracklingsoundgrewlouder，andtheairseemedtobefullofknivesanddarts；andagainheasked:
’Maiden，areyouwarm？Areyouwarm，youbeautifulgirl？’
Andthoughherbreathwasalmostfrozenonherlips，shewhisperedgently，’Quitewarm，KingFrost。’
ThenKingFrostgnashedhisteeth，andcrackedhisfingers，andhiseyessparkled，andthecrackling，crispsoundwaslouderthanever，andforthelasttimeheaskedher:
’Maiden，areyoustillwarm？Areyoustillwarm，littlelove？’
Andthepoorgirlwassostiffandnumbthatshecouldjustgasp，’Stillwarm，OKing！’
Nowhergentle，courteouswordsandheruncomplainingwaystouchedKingFrost，andhehadpityonher，andhewrappedherupinfurs，andcoveredherwithblankets，andhefetchedagreatbox，inwhichwerebeautifuljewelsandarichrobeembroideredingoldandsilver。Andsheputiton，andlookedmorelovelythanever，andKingFroststeppedwithherintohissledge，withsixwhitehorses。
Inthemeantimethewickedstep-motherwaswaitingathomefornewsofthegirl’sdeath，andpreparingpancakesforthefuneralfeast。Andshesaidtoherhusband:’Oldman，youhadbettergooutintothefieldsandfindyourdaughter’sbodyandburyher。’
Justastheoldmanwasleavingthehousethelittledogunderthetablebegantobark，saying:
’YOURdaughtershalllivetobeyourdelight；
HERdaughtershalldiethisverynight。’
’Holdyourtongue，youfoolishbeast！’scoldedthewoman。
’There’sapancakeforyou，butyoumustsay:
“HERdaughtershallhavemuchsilverandgold；
HISdaughterisfrozenquitestiffandcold。“’
Butthedoggieateupthepancakeandbarked，saying:
’Hisdaughtershallwearacrownonherhead；
Herdaughtershalldieunwooed，unwed。’
Thentheoldwomantriedtocoaxthedoggiewithmorepancakesandtoterrifyitwithblows，buthebarkedon，alwaysrepeatingthesamewords。Andsuddenlythedoorcreakedandflewopen，andagreatheavychestwaspushedin，andbehinditcamethestep-daughter，radiantandbeautiful，inadressallglitteringwithsilverandgold。Foramomentthestep-mother’seyesweredazzled。Thenshecalledtoherhusband:’Oldman，yokethehorsesatonceintothesledge，andtakemydaughtertothesamefieldandleaveheronthesamespotexactly；’andsotheoldmantookthegirlandleftherbeneaththesametreewherehehadpartedfromhisdaughter。InafewminutesKingFrostcamepast，and，lookingatthegirl，hesaid:
’Areyouwarm，maiden？’
’Whatablindoldfoolyoumustbetoasksuchaquestion！’sheansweredangrily。’Can’tyouseethatmyhandsandfeetarenearlyfrozen？’
ThenKingFrostsprangtoandfroinfrontofher，questioningher，andgettingonlyrude，roughwordsinreply，tillatlasthegotveryangry，andcrackedhisfingers，andgnashedhisteeth，andfrozehertodeath。
Butinthehuthermotherwaswaitingforherreturn，andasshegrewimpatientshesaidtoherhusband:’Getoutthehorses，oldman，togoandfetchherhome；butseethatyouarecarefulnottoupsetthesledgeandlosethechest。’
Butthedoggiebeneaththetablebegantobark，saying:
’Yourdaughterisfrozenquitestiffandcold，Andshallneverhaveachestfullofgold。’
’Don’ttellsuchwickedlies！’scoldedthewoman。’There’sacakeforyou；nowsay:
“HERdaughtershallmarryamightyKing。“
Atthatmomentthedoorflewopen，andsherushedouttomeetherdaughter，andasshetookherfrozenbodyinherarmsshetoowaschilledtodeath。
FromtheBukowinaerTalesandLegends。VonWliolocki。
Many，manythousandyearsagotherelivedamightyKingwhomheavenhadblessedwithacleverandbeautifulson。WhenhewasonlytenyearsoldtheboywasclevererthanalltheKing’scounsellorsputtogether，andwhenhewastwentyhewasthegreatestherointhewholekingdom。Hisfathercouldnotmakeenoughofhisson，andalwayshadhimclothedingoldengarmentswhichshoneandsparkledlikethesun；andhismothergavehimawhitehorse，whichneverslept，andwhichflewlikethewind。
Allthepeopleinthelandlovedhimdearly，andcalledhimtheSun-Hero，fortheydidnotthinkhislikeexistedunderthesun。
Nowithappenedonenightthatbothhisparentshadthesameextraordinarydream。Theydreamtthatagirlalldressedinredhadcometothemandsaid:’IfyouwishthatyoursonshouldreallybecometheSun-Heroindeedandnotonlyinname，lethimgooutintotheworldandsearchfortheTreeoftheSun，andwhenhehasfoundit，lethimpluckagoldenapplefromitandbringithome。’
WhentheKingandQueenhadeachrelatedtheirdreamstotheother，theyweremuchamazedthattheyshouldbothhavedreamtexactlythesameabouttheirson，andtheKingsaidtohiswife，’ThisisclearlyasignfromheaventhatweshouldsendoursonoutintotheworldinorderthathemaycomehomethegreatSun-Hero，astheRedGirlsaid，notonlyinnamebutindeed。’
TheQueenconsentedwithmanytears，andtheKingatoncebadehissonsetforthinsearchoftheTreeoftheSun，fromwhichhewastopluckagoldenapple。ThePrincewasdelightedattheprospect，andsetoutonhistravelsthatveryday。
