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。