"Dear Barbara," said the snowflake, "I will watch with thee for the
coming of the prince."
And Barbara was glad, for she loved the little snowflake, that was so
pure and innocent and gentle.
"Tell us, O pine-tree," cried the vine, "what do you see in the east?
Has the prince yet entered the forest?"
"The east is full of black clouds," said the pine-tree, "and the winds
that hurry to the hill-tops sing of the snow."
"But the city is full of brightness," said the fir. "I can see the
lights in the cathedral, and I can hear wondrous music about the
prince and his coming."
"Yes, they are singing of the prince in the cathedral," said Barbara
sadly.
"But we shall see him first," whispered the vine reassuringly.
"Yes, the prince will come through the forest," said the little
snowdrop gleefully.
"Fear not, dear Barbara, we shall behold the prince in all his glory,"
cried the snowflake.
Then all at once there was a strange hub-bub in the forest; for it
was midnight, and the spirits came from their hiding-places to prowl
about and to disport themselves. Barbara beheld them all in great
wonder and trepidation, for she had never before seen the spirits of
the forest, although she had often heard of them. It was a marvellous
sight.
[Illustration: So Barbara fell asleep.]
"Fear nothing," whispered the vine to Barbara,--"fear nothing, for
they dare not touch you."
The antics of the wood-spirits continued but an hour; for then a cock
crowed, and immediately thereat, with a wondrous scurrying, the elves
and the gnomes and the other grotesque spirits sought their
abiding-places in the caves and in the hollow trunks and under the
loose bark of the trees.
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