find the world all snowy white.
Where, then, are we? Who of you know?
Cosily tucked in our beds of snow.

[Footnote 2: To the tune of Schumann's "_Kindernacht._"]

THE CHIMNEY, _who is still hidden behind the Snow Fairies, wakes up
while they are singing the last line, and calls out_: What's this,
I'd like to know? Who's been decorating my face?

_The Snow Fairies stand back on either side, so that his face can now
be seen, with its white eyebrows and mustache and beard, all made of
snow-flakes; and he goes on talking in a jolly voice_: Oh, you sly
ones, you are at your old tricks. Well, well, I'm really glad to see
you. It seems like old times to have snow at Christmas. Now don't mind
me; go on with your work; cover me up with your snowflakes as much as
you choose--eyes, nose, mouth, and all; I don't mind it a bit.

_So the Snow Fairies, moving softly about, hang more snow-flakes on
the chimney, even over his eyes and nose and mouth, which show dimly
through the snow. His eyes blink now and then._

_And now, sleigh-bells are heard in the distance._

Hark! _cries_ JACK FROST.

_They all listen: the bells are still heard, a little nearer._

_Then_ JACK FROST _continues_: There comes Santa Claus, sure
enough. Let's give the old fellow a surprise. Here! All hide behind the
Chimney.

_Very quickly, but very quietly, too, they all hide. The sleigh-bells
come nearer and nearer, till they seem to be just outside: then they
stop, and a voice, which plainly belongs to_ SANTA CLAUS,
_says_: Whoa! Quiet, Prancer! Blitzen, stand still there!

_And now Santa Claus himself appears, with his pack of toys. He walks
to the middle of the roof, and sets down the pack._

It certainly is getting cold, _says_ SANTA CLAUS _to himself. For
he does not see Jack Frost and the Snow Fairies, who are hidden behind
the Chimney. He goes on talking_: And what a lot of snow there is
about here. It is really like the Christmas eves we used to have fifty
years ago. My pack seems to be coming undone. _He stoops to fix
it._ I should hate to have it burst open, while I was going down the
Chimney.

_Now the Snow Fairies have come out from behind the Chimney, and are
stealing up behind him on tip-toe. When they are quite close, they throw
great handfuls of snow at him. He starts up, surprised, but bursts into
a great laugh_:

Ho! ho! ho! This is a fine way to treat an old man! _says_ SANTA
CLAUS. Ho! ho! ho! ho! This is fine fun indeed