The Snowman and the Scarecrow

Cultural

Background

Storyteller's Cabin

adapted from folklore by
Craig Dominey

Up in the mountains of North Carolina near Blowing Rock, there was this really nice house. It had a big ol' lawn that went all the way down toward the road. Now in this particular year that I want to tell you this story about, it snowed nearly every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was gonna be a sure 'nough white Christmas, and Billy and Sally, the little boy and little girl who lived in the house, were really excited about that.

One day when it was nice outside, they went out and got a little ball of snow, which they started rolling around on the lawn. It got bigger and bigger and rounder and rounder 'til they finally had the nicest, biggest ball of snow you've ever seen. Then they got another little ball of snow and rolled it around 'til they got another perfectly rounded ball, which they put up on the base. Then they got a third ball and rolled it around 'til it was about the size of a big pumpkin. They had to get Dad to come out and help them put it on the top. Then they stood back and looked. And there in the front yard stood the most beautiful Snowman they'd ever seen!

But they knew they weren't finished yet, so they went back in the house and got some other things. They came back out and put a fancy top hat right up on the Snowman's head. Then they dressed him in a black, silk, swallow-tailed coat, and wrapped a brand new wool scarf around his neck. They used some shiny pieces of coal for his eyes and mouth, and in the middle of his face, they stuck in a large carrot for his nose. Then Dad donated one of his pipes, which they stuck in the Snowman's teeth. They stood back and looked at their Snowman. They all agreed that he was the most glorious Snowman in all the world.

Now, around the back of the house, back in the kitchen garden, there was a Scarecrow. He'd been standing there for months doing his job, which was chasing the crows away, but the family had just about forgotten about him. He'd started out in the spring as a really fine looking Scarecrow, but having stood outside from spring all the way up 'til Christmas, he was starting to get worn out. Most of the straw had leaked out of his pant legs, which were just flappin' in the breeze. His coat wasn't much more than rags, and the scarf around his neck was worn and almost nonexistent. He had a fine straw hat at one time, but now it had a big hole right in the back.

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