The winter grew colder and colder; he was obliged to swim about on the water to keep it from freezing, but every night the space on which he swam became smaller and smaller. At length it froze so hard that the ice in the water crackled as he moved, and the duckling had to paddle with his legs as well as he could, to keep the space from closing up. He became exhausted at last, and lay still and helpless, frozen fast in the ice.

In the great old-fashioned fireplace behind the high iron dogs a log-fire crackled and snapped.

The radio crackled into life.

They flew over woods and lakes, over sea and land; below them roared the wild wind; the wolves howled and the snow crackled; over them flew the black screaming crows, and above all shone the moon, clear and bright.

He spake, and nearer through the city came / the roar, the crackle and the fiery glow / of conflagration, rolling floods of flame.

A fire crackled in the fireplace.

The ground is parched and cracked, the tinder-dry grass crackles underfoot, and rain is desperately needed in our region.

Water gurgles while fire crackles.