This started off as a story to keep the kids occupied in the car, but it's grown quite a bit since then. Along with The Coffin Tale, The Pumpkin Story, and The Fuzzy tale, this one's in continuous circulation on our road trips.
and sometimes they get so cold they can't even move at all!
You know cars hate snow.
But do you know why snow hates cars?
It wasn't always that way.
Once upon a time, when the Great Snow King
ruled winter, cars and snow got along just fine.
The Great Snow King was called 'great' for a reason.
Oh, sometimes he sent cold, cold winds down from the North Pole
and he always made sure your parents had plenty of snow to shovel
But he also made sure kids had snow for sledding, and snow angels,
and snowball fights.
He always made sure there was snow for Christmas,
and if he was feeling super nice,
he'd send just enough snow to cancel school.
Now the Great Snow King had a son that was a snowman, and he wished more than anything that his boy would
someday be King.
His son The Snow Prince had other ideas.
He wanted to be an actor.
Of course, that was a silly wish, because snowmen do not become movie stars.
Except for one time.
This time.
Now, while the Snow Prince was dreaming about movies, a car was dreaming about something else.
His name was Jazz, and he was as brand-new as a car could be.
He was shiny and smooth, with big comfy seats and a powerful engine that went
"Vroom Vroom" as he went down the street.
Jazz wanted to be a race-car when he grew up, and he liked to drive fast. Too fast for the city, so he would go out to the country and go "zoom zoom" down the lonely roads.
That was how he met the Snow Prince.
It's not often you see a snowman in summer. Especially one who’s sled was stuck in the mud.
"Howdy partner. Need some help?" Jazz asked.
“Oh yes, sir, if you please,” The Snow Prince said, for he was nothing if not polite.
Quick as a jiffy, Jazz tied a rope to the sled and with a ‘vroom vroom’ of his engine pulled it free.
“Oh thank you sir!” The Snow Prince said.
“Aw, lay off that ‘sir‘, stuff, mister. The names Jazz, and racings my game!” he said.
“I’m the Snow Prince,” the snowman said. “And soon I’ll be a movie star. I’m going to be famous!”
Jazz was a little confused.
“Don’t see many movie stars around here. Especially one’s that melt,” he said.
That was when the Snow Prince noticed a drop of water on the end of his carrot nose
The weather was a bit warmer than he was used to at the North Pole.
“I guess I didn’t plan very well. I thought it would still be winter and I could ride my sled. But it’s not, and if I don’t hurry up I’ll never get to Hollywood,” The Snow Prince said.
“What’s out there?” Jazz asked.
“Only the best movie ever! It’s all about a snowman that comes to life one winter and sings lots of songs to make kids happy. They start filming soon, and I’m going to be the star of the show! I was born to play that part!” he said.
“Hmm. Well, that sled won’t get you very far,” Jazz said. Just then another big drop of water fell off The Snow Prince. Splash!
Suddenly Jazz had an idea.
“Tell you what. I’ve never been to California, and I hear they drive really fast there. If you like I can give you a ride,” Jazz said.
“Oh no, I couldn’t impose,” The Snow Prince said as another drop of water fell to the ground.
Splat!
“I have air conditioning,” Jazz said, and that was that.
So Jazz and The Snow Prince set out across America.
They drove through the Midwest and saw lots of farms.
They drove through prairies and raced buffaloes.
They drove through the Rocky Mountains, where The Snow Prince enjoyed the cool mountain air.
And along the way the two became the best of friends.
But not once did the Snow Prince tell Jazz that he had run away from home, and that his father was looking for him. And he never, not once, told him how mad his father would be if he found them.
Finally they got to California, and The Snow Prince was so happy to see the big Hollywood sign! He was this close to being the worlds first and most famous snowman actor!
“I’m hungry Snow Prince,” Jazz said. “Mind if I stop for some gas before we drive to the studio?”
“Go ahead, I’m hungry too,” he said.
Jazz pulled into a gas station. In it’s window was a red sign that said “Ice Cream”.
“You better be careful . It’s mighty hot out here in California,” Jazz said.
“I’ll only be a minute. And you’ll be right outside,” The Snow Prince said. With that, he went in search of some butter pecan.
As Jazz was filling up his tank with the best tasting gas he’d ever had, he was very happy he’d taken the trip.
Not only had he met a great friend, but he’d seen the whole country, and California was very pretty.
That’s when he heard it.
At first it was very quiet, like a mouse, and Jazz thought he was imagining things. Then he heard it again.
“Vroom, vroom vroom”
The noise seemed to be coming from down the block. Jazz was itching to go see what it was, but he knew he shouldn’t leave The Snow Prince.
“I’ll just be gone for a minute,” he thought to himself. “I’ll be back before he even notices.”
With his mind made up he drove down the block. The noise seemed to be coming from behind a tall pine fence.
Halfway up one of the planks was a knothole. Jazz popped a wheelie and put his headlight to the hole.
There, on the other side of the fence were dozens of cars going round and round a track as fast as they could!
“A race!,” said Jazz. “Hot dog!”
He was very excited and wished he could get a better view. Then a man in a bright blue usher’s suit tapped him on the fender.
“’Bout time you got here! We’ve been looking everywhere for you, the race already started. You better get in there before the boss gets any madder,” the usher said.
“But I’m not who you think . . . “ Jazz said, confused.
“Enough chit-chat. Are you gonna race or not?” the man asked.
Jazz should have remembered The Snow Prince and said “no thank you”, but he was much too excited to think of anything but driving in the race. His dream was coming true!
Back at the gas station The Snow Prince stepped outside with his ice cream. He looked left
and right,
and left again,
but didn’t see Jazz.
His ice cream started to melt in the hot California sun.
At the racetrack Jazz was doing well, moving closer and closer to the lead.
Outside the gas station The Snow Prince was worried. His ice cream was a gooey mess and he could feel melted snow drip,
drip,
dripping
down his face.
The Snow Prince tried to go back inside by the air conditioning, but the clerk pointed to the puddle he was making and said “Stay out!”
Now he was very worried indeed.
Down the street a man took out a checkered flag.
The race was almost over.
And the winner was . . .
Jazz!!!
Everyone was cheering! A man handed Jazz a microphone.
“Say a few words to the crowd son,” he said.
“Gosh, I’m so happy. I just wish my friend . . ,” Jazz began. Then he realized what he’d done.
“Snow Prince!” he yelled, roaring down the street faster than he ever had on the race track.
He pulled into the gas station and looked around.
He looked left,
and right,
and left again,
but there was no sign of The Snow Prince.
Unless, that is, you noticed a carrot nose floating in a large puddle of water.
Jazz was so sad he never raced again. To this day the only time he leaves the garage
Is to drive a little old lady to church on Sunday’s.
Very
Very
Slowly
Since The Snow Prince was made up of - what else? - snow, he didn’t go away forever.
The sun dried up the puddle
and he floated in the clouds
until he reached the North Pole, where he fell,
one by one,
as snowflakes until he was back to his old self.
When the Great Snow King saw him he was too happy to be angry at his son.
But The Snow Prince was very, very mad.
While he was up in the clouds as drop after drop of water, another snowman
got the part in the movie
and went on to fame and fortune.
Every kid knows his name.
You know it too -
His name was Frosty.
When The Snow Prince heard this he told his father all about how Jazz had left him behind to melt, and the Great Snow King became very angry too.
So he passed an order:
From this day forward,
When it snows cars shall slip
and slide
And spin their wheels
Cars will get stuck
and sometimes they will get so cold they won’t even move at all!
Which is why cars hate snow, just like snow hates cars.
The End
copyright 2005 Dan Slapczynski
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