Winter of the Ice Wizard

know,” said the blue Norn. “We are weaving the story of the Ice Wizard now. Come look.”
    Jack moved with the others to the loom. Dozens of tiny pictures were woven into the tapestry. The threads were all wintry colors—blues, grays, and browns.
    â€œThe pictures tell the story of the wizard’s life,” explained the brown Norn.
    One picture showed two children playing together. Another showed a boy running after a swan. Another showed two white wolves—and another showed an eye in a circle.
    â€œWhat’s the story of the eye?” Jack asked.
    â€œLong ago, the Ice Wizard came to us seeking all the wisdom of the world,” said the gray Norn. “We said we would give him wisdom if he gave us one of his eyes. He agreed to the bargain.”
    â€œThe wizard doesn’t seem very wise,” said Annie.
    â€œIndeed he is not,” said the brown Norn. “We planted the seeds of wisdom in his heart, but they never grew.”
    â€œWhy did you want his eye?” asked Jack.
    â€œWe wished to give it to the Frost Giant,” said the blue Norn.
    â€œThe Frost Giant?”
said Teddy. “Who is the Frost Giant?”

    â€œHe is neither magician nor mortal,” said the blue Norn. “He is a blind force of nature that spares nothing in his path.”
    â€œWe hoped the Frost Giant would use the wizard’s eye to
see
the beauty of the world, so he might choose to
care
for it rather than destroy it,” said the brown Norn. “But alas, the Frost Giant does not use our gift at all! Instead, he keeps it hidden away—right where we left it!”
    â€œWhere’s that?” asked Annie.
    â€œThe Frost Giant sleeps inside the Hollow Hill,” said the gray Norn.
    â€œIn the Hollow Hill is a hole,” said the blue Norn.
    â€œIn the hole is a hailstone,” said the brown Norn.
    â€œAnd in the heart of the hailstone hides the wizard’s eye,” said the gray Norn.
    Jack closed his eyes and repeated:
    In the Hollow Hill is a hole.
    In the hole is a hailstone.
    In the heart of the hailstone
    Hides the wizard’s eye.
    â€œYes!” said the gray Norn. “That is where you must go. But beware:
You must never look directly at the Frost Giant. Anyone who looks directly at the Frost Giant will freeze to death at once.
”
    Jack shivered and nodded.
    â€œWell, we’d better get going,” said Annie. “Thanks for your help. The Ice Wizard’s rhyme tells us to pay you whatever you ask us to pay.”
    The Norns looked at each other. “I like that weaving around her neck,” the gray Norn said to her sisters. “ ’Tis red like the fiery dawn.” The other two Norns nodded eagerly.
    â€œMy scarf?” said Annie. “Sure. Here.” She took off her red woolen scarf and placed it on the floor near the Norns’ loom.
    â€œLovely!” said the blue Norn. “Perhaps we will stop weaving fates and start weaving scarves!”
    The other Norns cackled. “Well, go now,” said the gray Norn. “Travel toward the North Star. When you reach the snowy hills, look for the one whose peak is missing.”
    Jack, Annie, and Teddy started toward the door, but Kathleen stayed behind. “Forgive me, but I have one more question,” she said. She pointed to the picture of the swan and the boy on the tapestry. “What is this story?”
    â€œÂ â€™Tis a sad tale,” said the gray Norn. “The Ice Wizard had a younger sister who loved him more than anything in the world. One day they fought over something foolish. He lost his temper and told her to leave him alone forever. She ran down to the sea in tears. There she found a flock of swan maidens. They gave her a white feathered dress. She put on the dress and became a swan maiden herself. She flew away with the others and never returned.”
    â€œAfter that the Ice Wizard was never the same,” said the blue Norn. “When his sister left,he grew cold and mean-spirited. ’Twas as if his sister took his heart with her when she flew away.”
    â€œThat
is
sad,” said Annie. “How will the Ice Wizard’s story end?”
    â€œYou—not we—will determine the threads we weave next,” said the brown Norn.
    â€œWe will?” said Annie.
    â€œYes,” said the gray Norn. “Our powers are fading. Our plans no longer work the way we expect them to. The Ice