Thefirstfallofsnowisnotonlyaneventbutitisamagicalevent.Yougotobedinonekindofworldandwakeuptofindyourselfinanotherquitedifferent,andifthisisnotenchantment,thenwhereisittobefound?

　　Theverystealth,theeeriequietness,ofthethingmakesitmoremagical.Ifallthesnowfellatonceinoneshatteringcrash,awakeningusinthemiddleofthenighttheeventwouldberobbedofitswonder.Butitfluttersdown,soundless,hourafterhourwhileweareasleep.Outsidetheclosedcurtainsofthebedroomavasttransfbrmationsceneistakiagplace,justasifamyriadelvesandbrownieswereatwork,andweturnandyawnandstretchandknownothingaboutit.Andthen,whatanextraordinaryc

　　changeitis!Itisasifthehousecontinent.Eventheinside,whichhasnotbeentouched,seemsdifferent,everyroomappearingsmallerandcosier,justasifsomepowerweretryingtoturnitintoawoodcutter'shutorasnuglogcabin.Outside,wherethegardenwasyesterday,thereisnowawhiteandglisteninglevel,andthevillagebeyondisnolongeryourownfamiliarclusterofroofsbutavillageinanoldGermanfairy-tale.Youwouldnotbesurprisedtolearnthatallthepeoplethere,thespeetacledpostmistress,thecobbler,theretiredschoolmaster,andtherest,hadsufferedachangetooandhadbecomequeerelvishbeings,purveyorsofinvisiblecapsandmagicshoes.Youyourselvesdonotfeelquitethesamepeopleyouwereyesterday.Howcouldyounotwhensomuchhasbeenchanged?Thereisacuriousstir,alittleshiverofexcite-ment,troublingthehouse,notunlikethefeelingthereisabroadwhenajourneyhastobemade.Thechildren,ofcourse,areallexcitementbuteventheadultshangaboutandtalktooneanotherlongerthanusualbeforesettingdowntotheday'swork.Nobodycanresistthewindows.Itislikebeingonboardaship.