Cultural
Background
Storyteller's Cabin
Now, like I said, it'd been snowing and had gotten real cold as it got closer to Christmas. One day, a shivering little bird came flying out of the woods and landed in front of the Snowman.
"Oh, Mr. Snowman," he said, "could I maybe get up in your hat and just get a little bit warm? The wind is blowing so hard, and I'm such a cold little bird and..."
The Snowman looked down at the bird in disgust. He wasn't about to let some dirty old bird nest in his fine clothes. "What are you talking about?" he gruffly replied. "I am the Snowman. Look at me! I'm the finest Snowman you could ever hope to meet. You can't get in my hat - why, it just wouldn't be proper! Now go away! Just go!"
So the little bird went around the back of the house, and there he saw the Scarecrow. He went up to him and asked him the same thing. The Scarecrow looked down and grinned.
"Why, little buddy, I'll tell you what - why don't you just fly on up into the hole in my hat and nestle yourself up in there? It'll be fine! I'd love to have company for Christmas!"
So that's what the little bird did.
A little while later, a tiny mouse scampered out of the woods and came up to the great Snowman. "Oh, Mr. Snowman, " he said, "I'm so cold. My feet are cold, my ears are cold - even the tip of my little tail is cold! Is there any way I can climb up into your pocket just for a minute so I can get warm?"
"A mouse?" the Snowman grumbled. "In my pocket? Surely you must be joking me! I could never have a dirty old mouse in my beautiful suit pocket! Never! Now get away!"
So the little mouse ran around to the back of the house, and saw the Scarecrow. He asked him the same thing. The Scarecrow looked at him and chuckled.
"Buddy, I'll tell you what. I already got a bird in my hat, so it ain't gonna make no never mind. In fact - the more the merrier! We can all just have Christmas together! Climb on up here!"
Later on, a little rabbit came hopping out of the woods, stopped in front of the Snowman, and said, "Oh, Mr. Snowman, my babies are in the woods, and they're so cold. I was wondering if I could just have just a tiny square off your nice scarf. Just so I could put in the nest so they can be warm. Please?"
"What?" roared the Snowman, now truly annoyed. "My scarf? You must have mistaken me for someone who cares! I would never give you a piece of my beautiful new scarf! Now go away!"
So the little rabbit hopped around the back of the house, found the Scarecrow, and asked him the same thing.
"This ol' rag around my neck?" the Scarecrow asked. "Why, there ain't enough of it there to know that it even is a scarf. Why don't you just take the whole thing back there to your babies? Give 'em the warmest nest they can have!"
The rabbit did so. And there they spent Christmas - the great Snowman, glistening and shining, the awe of everyone who saw him. And in the back was the ragged ol' Scarecrow, with a bird in his hat, a mouse in his pocket, and the knowledge that in the woods there was a warm nest of baby bunnies, snuggled in his scarf.
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