One snowy winter morning, some children gathered together and made a huge Snowman. The Snowman stood in the cold and remarked, “It is delightful here. It is so cold and windy.”
A dog, playing near by, remarked, “Enjoy as much as you can till the cold weather lasts. Once the weather becomes warmer, you will not be around for long.”
The Snowman said, “You seem to have been here for a long time.”
The dog replied, “I lived inside the house earlier. The master’s boy was very naughty. One day, he kicked me and I bit him in return. My master grew angry and put me in this kennel. It’s so cold here. I miss being inside the house, beside the stove. The stove gave me a lot of warmth.”
The Snowman asked, “What is a stove?”
The dog replied, “It’s just your opposite. It is black and is always hungry. It eats firewood and gives out fire and heat. You love cold while the stove keeps us warm and cosy. You can see it through the window.”
The Snowman peeped into the window and spotted the stove with fire gleaming in it. He said, “She has a gentle glow around her. She’s so beautiful. I wish to be near her.”
The dog said, “Never even try to go near her, else you’ll melt.” But the Snowman had already fallen in love with the stove. From then on, he admired her day and night.
The next morning was cold and foggy. The dog said to the Snowman, “It’s your favourite weather today. Why don’t you look happy?”
The Snowman replied sadly, “The windows are covered with ice. So, I can’t see my beloved stove.”
Days passed and as the dog had said, the weather changed and it became warmer day by day. The Snowman grew smaller in size, but remained lost in the thoughts of the stove.
One morning, when the dog woke up, the Snowman had melted away. A broomstick stood where the Snowman stood until that day. The dog thought, ‘Now I understand the Snowman’s longing for the stove. For building the Snowman, the kids had used the same broomstick that was used for cleaning the stove. He had a broomstick of the stove in his body. That’s why he wanted so much to be near the stove.’
The dog missed the Snowman’s company. He longed for the next winter when the children would build another Snowman.
