The soft snow was spinning round slowly and falling gently on the ground making the snowdrifts bigger and bigger. Snowflakes looked like sparkles and the landscape was magnificent.
Suddenly one of the snowdrifts moved and a large hatch opened; it led underground. The soldiers of the dwarfs' army were going out and making troops very quickly. The soldiers were all well-matched: strong, thickset, wearing iron-bound armour.
An old black raven which was sitting on top of the fir-tree was watching it. "It seems as if these little men started the war. They would be a very good treat!" the raven thought. Meanwhile the troops started for the bridge. The raven followed them with his eyes, waved his wings and flew slowly after