【明報專訊】In a distant village there was a family. The mother gave birth to their only son Chris at Christmas. But she died after a few days. As the father needed to take care of the baby himself, Santa Claus pitied the father and sent a snowman to help look after the baby.

The snowman liked Chris very much and always took care of him when the father was out. One day, the father went out hunting. Days passed but it seemed he wouldn't come back. What a perfect storm. Although the snowman kept an eye on Chris, he feared that Chris might realise the fact one day.

"How about making me his father?" The snowman asked the Santa.

"I guess you know that you'll die sooner if you're turned into a human..."

"I care only about the child. My life doesn't matter."

"As you wish."

He then became Chris's father. The snowman loved being the child's father and the child loved him too.

Years passed. The child was old enough to go to the town himself. In the town, he saw a man looking like his dad, the snowman. But there was something different. This man was much, much older.

He went home and told what he saw to the snowman. The snowman couldn't help but tell him the truth.

"Liar!" Chris couldn't accept that and ran away. He asked around for where his real dad lived and finally found a wooden house. When he was about to knock on the door, he heard a girl's voice.

"Dad, where have you been today?"

"Well... Hunting! What else could it be?"

"But you brought nothing back."

And there was another voice from a much older woman. "You know your dad isn't as strong as he was."

Then Chris knew that his "real" dad had already had another family. He realised that the snowman loved him more than his real dad loved him. He rushed home but it's too late. He could only see water on the floor. The snowman had melted.

"The snowman spent his life looking after you. He didn't care about his own." The Santa appeared.

Chris wept because he regretted his harsh words to the snowman. He hoped the Santa could bring the snowman back.

"I can't." The Santa said, "Alas, man always fails but love prevails."

It was Christmas. Streets were empty and there was laughter in every family.

The Santa's words were lost on Chris but one day the young man would understand.

■Food for thought

Do you agree with what the Santa says at the end? Should Chris stay with the snowman instead of looking for his real dad?

■Glossary

prevail (v) 戰勝一切

distant (adj) 遙遠的

pity (v) 同情

be lost on sb (idiom) 未被(某人)理解

[Smarties' Power English 第233期]