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From the heart of a wood which lost its name long ago, is a place where a seeker of stories

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may go.

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If you've arrived in a story's your desire, come, take a seat, for what you require is

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a tale from the second storytime.

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Yes, yes, Hilbert, I know.

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Just look for anything useful.

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No, that's just an ancient cursed pendant.

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I said useful, you know, like, oh, hello, dears.

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Welcome back.

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I am the first storyteller of course, but you knew that, and I believe you have encountered

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my good friend here, Hilbert.

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What do you mean, professional acquaintance?

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Well, that's true, but I thought we were past that personally.

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Well, why don't you do your job then and find us a story?

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Sorry about Hilbert.

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I did him a favour once.

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He visited this tower a long time ago.

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I'm here.

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I'm right here.

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Hello?

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Can you hear me?

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And so at this point, I suppose we're more or less stuck with each other.

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What story did you find for us, Hilbert?

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Oh, how shocking.

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A story about a crow.

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Uh...

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Right then, let's begin.

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Winter Friendship

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Clumps of snowflakes drifted in lazy comfort through a forest, along with a crow who matched

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their pace and attitude. Floating easily through the dim morning light and pine trees, the

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crow spotted a few pieces of corn stuck in a pile of snow.

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They landed on a ball of soft fabric which capped off the snowpile and inspected their

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snack with a curious peck.

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A soft voice startled the crow from their hunger.

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Oh, please don't take that. I need it. The voice pleaded.

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The crow grumbled their annoyance and hopped off the snowpile to better inspect the source

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of the voice.

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Focused on the corn, the crow hadn't noticed the sticks poking out of the snowpile at awkward

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angles. They also hadn't noticed the small rocks or the carrot that had been stuck just

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above the corn.

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There was also fabric wrapped around the snowpile in addition to the soft fabric the crow had

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initially landed on.

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Reassessing their quarry, the crow realized the small fortune that they had been perching

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on. They hopped towards the snowpile once more with rumbling, hungry squawks.

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Now, White, please just listen, the snowpile urged.

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The crow stopped, tilted their head and carded their frustrations.

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Ah, I'm a snowman, you see, the snowman explained quickly.

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Yesterday, a child came to these woods with their parents and built me. They had brought

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a pocketful of corn kernels to make my mouth, and even this beautiful hat and scarf.

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The crow blinked and tapped at the ground with an impatient beak as the snowman rambled

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out the story of their creation.

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The care and attention in the child's eyes during construction, the stories the child

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had shared with the snowman about riding on the school bus and sitting next to Chloe during

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lunch, the eventual decisive statement of the child of, you're my best friend, as they

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had draped a scarf around the finished snowman.

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All of this was imparted unceasingly to the crow until the bird gave a raspy caw and flew

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off into some dark branches, away from the clawing desperation of the snowperson.

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A few days later, when the forest floor remained hard and frozen but had shed its coat of downy

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snow, the crow returned.

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The snowman looked more or less the same when the crow landed on the ground beside them

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and tugged at one of the branches that served as an arm.

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Oh, wait, that's my arm, if you please, the snowman exclaimed, which sent the crow hopping

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backwards grumpily without their prize.

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Thank you, truly.

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Not every creature has been as kind as you.

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As you can see, most of my math has already been carried off.

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The crow scrutinized the snowman's face with an assessor's skill and noted that only a

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few of the corn kernels remained of the snowman's smile.

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One of the stones that had served as an eye was also tragically missing, though apart

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from these details, most of the snowman seemed to be intact.

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The crow gave a gruff squawk of acknowledgments.

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I'll realise the corn just gave me the appearance of a math, clearly I'm still able to speak

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to you.

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It's just that I'm sure that the child will return any day now.

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I would really like to be looking more best.

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I want to look exactly the same as how they left me so that we can share another lovely

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day together.

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And the snowman indulged in another ramble, this time about how pleased the child would

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be to return, finding their best friend unchanged.

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How the snowman and the child would get to have another day together, maybe even nicer

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than the first.

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By the time the snowman was finished with their wishful musings, the crow was long gone.

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Their departure had been silent and unspectacular.

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A few days later, the crow landed on a tree stump to survey what was left of their snow-based

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acquaintance.

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The air carried the damp scent of greenery only just on the verge of waking.

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Both of the stone eyes were missing now, which was just as well, because the carrot nose

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and the remaining corn kernels were gone too.

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As the crow considered plucking a string or two from the bobble-hat, the snowman gave

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a soft sigh.

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I'll really try to stie the sign, you know.

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The animals just kept ticking things, no matter how much I pleaded.

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And it's not as if—it's not as if the child came back to stop them or replace what was

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taken.

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But they said it—oh, no, they said it—not I was their best friend.

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Why would they even give that to me if they didn't plan to come back?

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The snowman threaded.

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The crow offered a few croaking sounds in response.

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What do you know about it?

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You weren't even there.

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The snowman suddenly snapped defensively.

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You didn't see how happy they were—how happy I was.

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Why made them so happy, then why have they left me here with only the memories?

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But the question was asked to nobody.

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The crow had already flown away.

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A few days later, the crow landed by a tiny mound of snow.

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Only the bravest blades of grass had begun to explore the forest floor.

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The scarf looked enormous by comparison to the snow that remained.

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The crow cored with increasing volume until the snowman responded.

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You are very kind, friend, and I think it is okay if you do not want to call me your

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friend.

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You have returned so many times.

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You've listened.

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Even if I am not your friend, you have been mine.

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That child, they may never return here, but that day, when they called me their best friend,

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it made me very happy.

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That moment still makes me happy.

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The crow blinked, but otherwise remained still.

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If it is okay with you, would you please take my scarf with you when you go?

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I would like it very much if taking it made you happy.

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said the snowman.

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The crow hopped forward and snatched up the scarf in their beak.

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They flew back to a waiting nest, which was about to be much warmer.

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Why is there just a cabinet filled with cords and cables?

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What would you even plug these things into?

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Hilbert, could you get me one of the large trash bags?

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Hilbert?

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Oh!

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How did you like the story?

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As for me, I've just been sorting through the endless chaos in here, looking for anything

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of use.

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But I- oh!

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Oh!

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Oh!

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That's just a big jar of teeth.

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Alright?

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Okay.

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Um, well as usual, if there is a particular type of story you're interested in, do let

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me know.

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I'm sure I can find one for you.

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But for now, be well and carry today's story in your heart.

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Today's tale has ended, but return once again to this place where you are considered a friend.

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Come to this tower in its mysterious dweller for more from the library of The Second Storyteller.

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Thank you for listening to The Second Storyteller.

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If you have a prompt for a story, please send it to thesecondstoryteller at gmail.com.

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If your prompt is selected, your name will be credited at the end of the episode.

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This prompt was Connections, submitted by ScienceSinsox.

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If you would like to help support the future of this podcast, please consider becoming

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a patron by going to patreon.com slash thesecondstoryteller.

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A donation as small as a dollar is greatly appreciated and helps keep us going.

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A donation of just $10 a month puts you on the list of current library card holders,

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and your name will be read at the end of the episode.

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The Second Storyteller podcast and the featured stories were written and created by Katie

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Chacon.

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The role of the Second Storyteller is played by Charles Scott.

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The role of the first Storyteller is played by Katie Chacon.

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Today's voice of the story was provided by Charles Scott.

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The voice of the intro and outro is Chris Camp, and you can find the fantastic games he's

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worked on at rix.itch.io.

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The music was written by Fintan, who can be found at garbagebag.itch.io.

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The Second Storyteller will return next month with more magic, fun, and of course, a story

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to tell.