Outdoors, night and a thick curtain of snowflakes,
The cold snow falls without end;
In the parlour there is only merriment,
The joy of spring instead of winter woe.

  Kittens play, sweet little kittens,
Whirring, purring, dear and cosy,
With velvet-soft little paws
One bats at the other.

  And like a kitten dear and cosy
The dear child snuggles up,
Listens uplifted to grandmother,
Blissful in the enchantment of fairy-tales.

  Eerie fairy-tales, frightening fairy-tales
Grandmother knows, lovely fairy-tales;
Uplifted, the little one hides
Bright gold in her soul.

  Could I but listen and once more see
Fairy-tale magic as I did back then,
Oh how gladly would I exchange [this time for that]!
But the cold snowflakes blow.

  Outdoors, night and a thick curtain of snowflakes,
The cold snow falls without end;
In the parlour there is only merriment,
The joy of spring instead of winter woe.