strength, and make your preparations for it.

And now—be light, merry, brisk, and alert,

and do not give yourself over to laziness and torpor,

but make friends with nature, and embrace her with joy;

do you not see these snows,

all enticement, all enchantment,

calling you to them...

to their pure, immaculate whiteness;

to their beauty, calm amid the storm,

surrendered to the warmth of the sun,

bending tenderly over the naked boughs..

and joy and release... our mountains,

a flutter of velvet wings;

and for the girls, dancing floors and swings.

The beauty of the snows?

What a blessing it is for you,

for you, daughter of my country..

For these mountains of ours

are pure white summits,

and paradises of doves,

and joy and release.. our mountains,

a flutter of velvet wings;

for the girls, dancing floors and swings.

So to the summit—as though you were the wing of a sweet

dove..