One day Old Man Winter was enjoying his stay in a local home when he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door and was surprised to see his twin brother. "I hoped I could stay with you for a while," his brother said.

"I don't know. Spring is scheduled to arrive in two days," Old Man Winter said. "I will ask her if she can wait a few weeks."

So Old Man Winter called Spring and asked her to delay her trip. Spring was generous and let Old Man Winter and his twin brother use the house for another month. "Stay as long as you like," she said. "Just collect my mail and store it in the top desk drawer."

Old Man Winter enjoyed visiting with his brother, who he had not seen for years, but the humans were sick of the cold weather and were upset that spring had not arrived. "What kind of spring is this?" people asked. Then they seemed to forget that spring existed. "It's always like this. It goes from winter right into summer."

Spring's reputation was ruined, and as she listened to the humans she felt worse and worse, until she was too ashamed to ever return to the neighborhood.

Fables               Next