Native American legend to tell by the fireside

A trick was played on Old Man Winter

"Old Man Winter"...that's what the North American Indians called the cold season. For them, winter took the form of a very old giant with long, white hair. They were convinced that every year, Old Man Winter settled in the forest in his ice house.

Celui-ci appréciait quand son ami le vent du Nord sifflait et hurlait, tordant parfois les branches jusqu’à les faire craquer. Sa maison ne comportait pas de foyer et, sur le sol, il installait un lourd tapis de neige blanche. Pour s’occuper, il faisait tomber des flocons pour protéger les graines cachées dans le sol et plusieurs insectes engourdis par le froid.

He lived like this moon after moon. All was calm, the birds that hadn't left hid, like bears, in their shelters. The animals that still came out of their dens had changed their fur color. They were sometimes confused with the landscape. And so, time passed...

One day, Old Man Winter realized he was getting bored. He had spread snow everywhere, frozen the streams, decorated the branches with icicles... he had nothing left to do. As he sat outside his freezing house, he saw a young girl coming from afar who seemed to be heading towards him.

As she approached the old man, he noticed the splendor of her smile and the stars that shone in her eyes. She was dressed in moss green and embroidery reminiscent of apple blossom petals. When she spoke, the air became comfortable and soft. He didn't immediately notice that the snow was melting beneath her feet.

Old Man Winter, charmed by such grace and beauty, welcomed her and asked her to sit near him. He told her how, with a simple sigh, he managed to transform rivers and springs into ice. The young girl replied in turn: "When I sigh, the air warms up and the springs begin to melt and then flow." And for a good part of the night, they continued to talk about their respective abilities.

Meanwhile, the snow had melted in the old man's house, and he felt so comfortable in the warm air that he fell asleep. The girl got up and went to the door of the hut. She signaled to the sun that it could now come closer. It set off, and a bird decided to follow it, then another arrived, and all those who had gone south because of the winter.

Unbeknownst to him, Old Man Winter had fallen asleep until next year, because he had not recognized the Spring Girl.