After his night time visit from the Snow Queen, Little Pine was surprised to discover that the woodland still wore its late autumn garb. Not a snowflake was in sight.
Still, the air was cold and everything around him sparkled with frost. You never knew, when you greeted a December morning, what the day would hold.
When he told his mother about his dream, her eyes sparkled just like the frost. “What a gift!” she said. “How beautiful!”
“But why isn’t there any snow?” Little Pine asked her. She told him that dreams had a timing of their own. Some of them foretold events that might take a while to unfold in our world.
“But it’s a very pretty morning, nonetheless, don’t you think?” she said, as she set his breakfast out for him, “A blue jay stopped by earlier and told me that the whole forest is tingling with anticipation for the Festival. It’s only a few days away now, you know. He said everybody is excited and busy.”
Mother Pine laughed remembering her conversation with the bird. “After you eat, why don’t you get your friend and see what surprises the woodland might have for you today?” she said to Little Pine.
And before the words had left her mouth, Red Leaf appeared on their threshold, his eyes bright and eager for adventure. Off the two pals ran. And Mother Pine smiled and wondered what tales he would bring home with him today.