THE FAIRY-LAND OF SZTENCE. 3 
and active than water, as it rushes along in the swift 
brook, or dashes over the stones, or spouts up in the 
fountain, or trickles down from the roof, or shakes 
itself into ripples on the surface of the pond as the 
wind blows over it ? But have you never seen this 
water spell-bound and motionless ? Look out of the 
window some cold frosty morning in winter, at the 
little brook which yesterday was flowing gently past 
the house, and see how still it lies, with the stones 
over which it was dashing now held tightly in its icy 
grasp. Notice the wind-ripples on the pond ; they 
have become fixed and motionless. Look up at the 
roof of the house. There, instead of living doves 
merely charmed to sleep, we have running water 
caught in the very act of falling and turned into 
transparent icicles, decorating the eaves with a beau- 
tiful crystal fringe. On every tree and bush you will 
catch the water-drops napping, in the form of tiny 
crystals ; while the fountain looks like a tree of glass 
with long down-hanging pointed leaves. Even the 
damp of your own breath lies rigid and still on the 
window-pane frozen into delicate patterns like fern- 
leaves of ice. 
All this water was yesterday flowing busily, or 
falling drop by drop, or floating invisibly in the air ; 
now it is all caught and spell-bound by whom ? 
By the enchantments of the frost-giant who holds it 
fast in his grip and will not let it go. 
But wait awhile, the deliverer is coming. In a 
few weeks or days, or it may be in a few hours, 
the brave sun will shine down ; the dull-grey, leaden 
sky will melt before him, as the hedge gave way 
B 2 
