Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women

by George MacDonald

  The story goes on to tell how, at last, weary with wintriness, shetravelled towards the southern regions of her globe, to meet the springon its slow way northwards; and how, after many sad adventures, manydisappointed hopes, and many tears, bitter and fruitless, she foundat last, one stormy afternoon, in a leafless forest, a single snowdropgrowing betwixt the borders of the winter and spring. She lay downbeside it and died. I almost believe that a child, pale and peaceful asa snowdrop, was born in the Earth within a fixed season from that stormyafternoon.