FIRST STORY. WhichTreats of a Mirror and of the Splinters
Now then, let us begin. Whenwe are at the end of the story, we shall know more than we knownow: but to begin.

Once upon a time there was a wicked sprite, indeed he wasthe most mischievous of all sprites. One day he was in a very goodhumor, for he had made a mirror with the power of causing all thatwas good and beautiful when it was reflected therein, to look poorand mean; but that which was good-for-nothing and looked ugly wasshown magnified and increased in ugliness. In this mirror the mostbeautiful landscapes looked like boiled spinach, and the bestpersons were turned into frights, or appeared to stand on theirheads; their faces were so distorted that they were not to berecognised; and if anyone had amole, you might be sure that itwould be magnified and spread over both nose and mouth.

"That's glorious fun!" said the sprite. If a good thought passedthrough a man's mind, then a grin was seen in the mirror, and thesprite laughed heartily at his clever discovery. All the littlesprites who went to his school--for he kept a sprite school--toldeach other that a miracle had happened; and that now only, as theythought, it would be possible to see how the world really looked.They ran about with the mirror; and at last there was not a land ora person who was not represented distorted in the mirror. So thenthey thought they would fly up to the sky, and have a joke there.The higher they flew with the mirror, the more terribly it grinned:they could hardly hold it fast. Higher and higher still they flew,nearer and nearer to the stars, when suddenly the mirror shook soterribly with grinning, that it flew out of their hands and fell tothe earth, where it was dashed in a hundred million and morepieces. And now it worked much more evil than before; for some ofthese pieces were hardly so large as a grain of sand, and they flewabout in the wide world, and when they got into people's eyes,there they stayed; and then people saw everything perverted, oronly had an eye for that which was evil. This happened because thevery smallest bit had the same power which the whole mirror hadpossessed. Some persons even got a splinter in their heart, andthen it made one shudder, for their heart became like a lump ofice. Some of the broken pieces were so large that they were usedfor windowpanes, through which one could not see one's friends.Other pieces were put in spectacles; and that was a sad affair whenpeople put on their glasses to see well and rightly. Then thewicked sprite laughed till he almost choked, for all this tickledhis fancy. The fine splinters still flew about in theair: and nowwe shall hear what happenednext.

SECOND STORY. A Little Boyand a Little Girl
In a large town, where there are somany houses, and so many people, that there is no roof left foreverybody to have a little garden; and where, on this account, mostpersons are obliged to content themselves with flowers in pots;there lived two little children, who had a garden somewhat largerthan a flower-pot. They were not brother and sister; but they caredfor each other as much as if they were. Their parents lived exactlyopposite. They inhabited two garrets; and where the roof of the onehouse joined that of the other, and the gutter ran along theextreme end of it, there was to each house a small window: oneneeded only to step over the gutter to get from one window to theother.

The children's parents had large wooden boxes there, in whichvegetables for the kitchen were planted, and little rose treesbesides: there was a rose in each box, and they grew splendidly.They now thought of placing the boxes across the gutter, so thatthey nearly reached from one window to the other, and looked justlike two walls of flowers. The tendrils of the peas hung down overthe boxes; and the rose-trees shot up long branches, twined roundthe windows, and then bent towards each other: it was almost like atriumphant arch of foliage and flowers. The boxes were very high,and the children knew that they must not creep over them; so theyoften obtained permission to get out of the windows to each other,and to sit on their little stools among the roses, where they couldplay delightfully. In winter there was an end of this pleasure. Thewindows were often frozen over; but then they heated copperfarthings on the stove, and laid the hot farthing on thewindowpane, and then they had a capital peep-hole, quite nicelyrounded; and out of each peeped a gentle friendly eye--it was thelittle boy and the little girl who were looking out. His name wasKay, hers was Gerda. In summer, with one jump, they could get toeach other; but in winter they were obliged first to go down thelong stairs, and then up the long stairs again: and out-of-doors there was quite a snow-storm."It is the white bees that are swarming," said Kay's oldgrandmother.

"Do the white bees choose a queen?" asked the little boy; for heknew that the honey-bees always have one."Yes," said the grandmother, "she flies where the swarm hangs inthe thickest clusters. She is the largest of all; and she can neverremain quietly on the earth, but goes up again into the blackclouds. Many a winter's night she flies through the streets of thetown, and peeps in at the windows; and they then freeze in sowondrous a manner that they look like flowers.""Yes, I have seenit," said both the children; and so they knew that it wastrue."Can the Snow Queen come in?" said the little girl."Only let her come in!" said the little boy. "Then I'd put her onthe stove, and she'd melt."And then his grandmother patted his headand told him other stories.

In the evening, when little Kay was at home, and half undressed,he climbed upon the chair by the window, and peeped out of thelittle hole. A few snow-flakes were falling, and one, the largestof all, remained lying on the edge of a flower-pot.

The flake of snow grew larger and larger; and at last it was likea young lady, dressed in the finest white gauze, made of a millionlittle flakes like stars. She was so beautiful and delicate, butshe was of ice, of dazzling, sparkling ice; yet she lived; her eyesgazed fixedly, like two stars; but there was neither quiet norrepose in them. She nodded towards the window, and beckoned withher hand. The little boy was frightened, and jumped down from thechair; it seemed to him as if, at the same moment, a large birdflew past the window.

The next day it was a sharp frost--and then the spring came; thesun shone, the green leaves appeared, the swallows built theirnests, the windows were opened, and the little children again satin their pretty garden, high up on the leads at the top of thehouse.

That summer the roses flowered in unwonted beauty. The littlegirl had learned a hymn, in which there was something about roses;and then she thought of her own flowers; and she sang the verse tothe little boy, who then sang it with her:"The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet, And angels descendthere the children to greet."And the children held each other bythe hand, kissed the roses, looked up at the clear sunshine, andspoke as though they really saw angels there. What lovelysummer-days those were! How delightful to be out in the air, nearthe fresh rose-bushes, that seem as if they would never finishblossoming!　　
Kay and Gerda looked at the picture-book full of beasts and ofbirds; and it was then--the clock in the church-tower was juststriking five--that Kay said, "Oh! I feel such a sharp pain in myheart; and now something has got into my eye!"The little girl puther arms around his neck. He winked his eyes; now there was nothingto be seen."I think it is out now," said he; but it was not. It was just oneof those pieces of glass from the magic mirror that had got intohis eye; and poor Kay had got another piece right in his heart. Itwill soon become like ice. It did not hurt any longer, but there itwas."What are you crying for?" asked he. "You look so ugly! There'snothing the matter with me. Ah," said he at once, "that rose iscankered! And look, this one is quite crooked! After all, theseroses are very ugly! They are just like the box they are plantedin!" And then he gave the box a good kick with his foot, and pulledboth the roses up."What are you doing?" cried the little girl; and as he perceivedher fright, he pulled up another rose, got in at the window, andhastened off from dear little Gerda.　　
Afterwards, when she brought her picture-book, he asked, "Whathorrid beasts have you there?" And if his grandmother told themstories, he always interrupted her; besides, if he could manage it,he would get behind her, put on her spectacles, and imitate her wayof speaking; he copied all her ways, and then everybody laughed athim. He was soon able to imitate the gait and manner of everyone inthe street. Everything that was peculiar and displeasing inthem--that Kay knew how to imitate: and at such times all thepeople said, "The boy is certainly very clever!" But it was theglass he had got in his eye; the glass that was sticking in hisheart, which made him tease even little Gerda, whose whole soul wasdevoted to him.

His games now were quite different to what they had formerlybeen, they were so very knowing. One winter's day, when the flakesof snow were flying about, he spread the skirts of his blue coat,and caught the snow as it fell."Look through this glass, Gerda," said he. And every flake seemedlarger, and appeared like a magnificent flower, or beautiful star;it was splendid to look at!"Look, how clever!" said Kay. "That's much more interesting thanreal flowers!

They are as exact as possible; there is not a fault in them, ifthey did not melt!"It was not long after this, that Kay came oneday with large gloves on, and his little sledge at his back, andbawled right into Gerda's ears, "I have permission to go out intothe square where the others are playing"; and off he was in amoment.

There, in the market-place, some of the boldest of the boys usedto tie their sledges to the carts as they passed by, and so theywere pulled along, and got a good ride. It was so capital! Just asthey were in the very height of their amusement, a large sledgepassed by: it was painted quite white, and there was someone in itwrapped up in a rough white mantle of fur, with a rough white furcap on his head. The sledge drove round the square twice, and Kaytied on his sledge as quickly as he could, and off he drove withit. On they went quicker and quicker into the next street; and theperson who drove turned round to Kay, and nodded to him in afriendly manner, just as if they knew each other. Every time he wasgoing to untie his sledge, the person nodded to him, and then Kaysat quiet; and so on they went till they came outside the gates ofthe town. Then the snow began to fall so thickly that the littleboy could not see an arm's length before him, but still on he went:when suddenly he let go the string he held in his hand in order toget loose from the sledge, but it was of no use; still the littlevehicle rushed on with the quickness of the wind. He then cried asloud as he could, but no one heard him; the snow drifted and thesledge flew on, and sometimes it gave a jerk as though they weredriving over hedges and ditches. He was quite frightened, and hetried to repeat the Lord's Prayer; but all he could do, he was onlyable to remember the multiplication table.

The snow-flakes grew larger and larger, till at last they lookedjust like great white fowls. Suddenly they flew on one side; thelarge sledge stopped, and the person who drove rose up. It was alady; her cloak and cap were of snow. She was tall and of slenderfigure, and of a dazzling whiteness. It was the Snow Queen.　.

"We have travelled fast," said she;"but it is freezingly cold. Come under my bearskin." And she puthim in the sledge beside her, wrapped the fur round him, and hefelt as though he were sinking in a snow-wreath."Are you still cold?" asked she; and then she kissed hisforehead. Ah! it was colder than ice; it penetrated to his veryheart, which was already almost a frozen lump; it seemed to him asif he were about to die--but a moment more and it was quitecongenial to him, and he did not remark the cold that was aroundhim.

"My sledge! Do not forget my sledge!" It was the first thing hethought of. It was there tied to one of the white chickens, whoflew along with it on his back behind the large sledge. The SnowQueen kissed Kay once more, and then he forgot little Gerda,grandmother, and all whom he had left at hishome.

"Now you will have no more kisses,"said she, "or else I should kiss you to death!"Kay looked at her.She was very beautiful; a more clever, or a more lovely countenancehe could not fancy to himself; and she no longer appeared of ice asbefore, when she sat outside the window, and beckoned to him; inhis eyes she was perfect, he did not fear her at all, and told herthat he could calculate in his head and with fractions, even; thathe knew the number of square miles there were in the differentcountries, and how many inhabitants they contained; and she smiledwhile he spoke. It then seemed to him as if what he knew was notenough, and he looked upwards in the large huge empty space abovehim, and on she flew with him; flew high over the black clouds,while the storm moaned and whistled as though it were singing someold tune.

On they flew over woods and lakes, over seas, and many lands; andbeneath them the chilling storm rushed fast, the wolves howled, thesnow crackled; above them flew large screaming crows, but higher upappeared the moon, quite large and bright; and it was on it thatKay gazed during the long long winter's night;while by day he slept at the feet of the SnowQueen.

THIRD STORY. Of theFlower-Garden At the Old Woman's Who UnderstoodWitchcraft
But what became of little Gerda whenKay did not return? Where could he be?Nobody knew; nobody could give any intelligence. All the boysknew was, that they had seen him tie his sledge to another largeand splendid one, which drove down the street and out of the town.Nobody knew where he was; many sad tears were shed, and littleGerda wept long and bitterly; at last she said he must be dead;that he had been drowned in the river which flowed close to thetown. Oh! those were very long and dismal winter evenings!

At last spring came, with its warm sunshine."Kay is dead and gone!" said little Gerda."That I don't believe," said the Sunshine."Kay is dead and gone!" said she to the Swallows."That I don't believe," said they: and at last little Gerda didnot think so any longer either."I'll put on my red shoes," said she, one morning; "Kay has neverseen them, and then I'll go down to the river and ask there."It wasquite early; she kissed her old grandmother, who was still asleep,put on her red shoes, and went alone to the river."Is it true that you have taken my little playfellow? I will makeyou a present of my red shoes, if you will give him back tome."And, as it seemed to her, the blue waves nodded in a strangemanner; then she took off her red shoes, the most precious thingsshe possessed, and threw them both into the river. But they fellclose to the bank, and the little waves bore them immediately toland; it was as if the stream would not take what was dearest toher; for in reality it had not got little Kay; but Gerda thoughtthat she had not thrown the shoes out far enough, so she clamberedinto a boat which lay among the rushes, went to the farthest end,and threw out the shoes.

But the boat was not fastened, andthe motion which she occasioned, made it drift from the shore. Sheobserved this, and hastened to get back; but before she could doso, the boat was more than a yard from the land, and was glidingquickly onward.

Little Gerda was very frightened, and began to cry; but no oneheard her except the sparrows, and they could not carry her toland; but they flew along the bank, and sang as if to comfort her,"Here we are! Here we are!" The boat drifted with the stream,little Gerda sat quite still without shoes, for they were swimmingbehind the boat, but she could not reach them, because the boatwent much faster than they did.

The banks on both sides were beautiful; lovely flowers, venerabletrees, and slopes with sheep and cows, but not a human being was tobe seen.　　"Perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay," said she; andthen she grew less sad. She rose, and looked for many hours at thebeautiful green banks.

Presently she sailed by a large cherry-orchard, where was alittle cottage with curious red and blue windows; it was thatched,and before it two wooden soldiers stood sentry, and presented armswhen anyone went past.

Gerda called to them, for she thought they were alive; but they,of course, did not answer. She came close to them, for the streamdrifted the boat quite near the land.

Gerda called still louder, and an old woman then came out of thecottage, leaning upon a crooked stick. She had a largebroad-brimmed hat on, painted with the most splendid flowers."Poor little child!" said the old woman. "How did you get uponthe large rapid river, to be driven about so in the wide world!"And then the old woman went into the water, caught hold of the boatwith her crooked stick, drew it to the bank, and lifted littleGerda out.　　And Gerda was so glad to be on dry land again; but she was ratherafraid of the strange old woman."But come and tell me who you are, and how you came here," saidshe.

And Gerda told her all; and the old woman shook her head andsaid, "A-hem!a-hem!" and when Gerda had told her everything, and asked her ifshe had not seen little Kay, the woman answered that he had notpassed there, but he no doubt would come; and she told her not tobe cast down, but taste her cherries, and look at her flowers,which were finer than any in a picture-book, each of which couldtell a whole story. She then took Gerda by the hand, led her intothe little cottage, and locked the door.

The windows were very high up; the glass was red, blue, andgreen, and the sunlight shone through quite wondrously in all sortsof colors. On the table stood the most exquisite cherries, andGerda ate as many as she chose, for she had permission to do so.While she was eating, the old woman combed her hair with a goldencomb, and her hair curled and shone with a lovely golden coloraround that sweet little face, which was so round and so like arose.
　
"I have often longed for sucha dear little girl," said the old woman. "Now you shall see howwell we agree together"; and while she combed little Gerda's hair,the child forgot her foster-brother Kay more and more, for the oldwoman understood magic; but she was no evil being, she onlypractised witchcraft a little for her own private amusement, andnow she wanted very much to keep little Gerda. She therefore wentout in the garden, stretched out her crooked stick towards therose-bushes, which, beautifully as they were blowing, all sank intothe earth and no one could tell where they had stood. The old womanfeared that if Gerda should see the roses, she would then think ofher own, would remember little Kay, and run away from her.

She now led Gerda into the flower-garden. Oh, what odour and whatloveliness was there! Every flower that one could think of, and ofevery season, stood there in fullest bloom; no picture-book couldbe gayer or more beautiful.

Gerda jumped for joy, and played till the sun set behind the tallcherry-tree; she then had a pretty bed, with a red silken coverletfilled with blue violets. She fell asleep, and had as pleasantdreams as ever a queen on her wedding-day.

The next morning she went to play with the flowers in the warmsunshine, and thus passed away a day. Gerda knew every flower; and,numerous as they were, it still seemed to Gerda that one waswanting, though she did not know which.

One day while she was looking at the hat of the old woman paintedwith flowers, the most beautiful of them all seemed to her to be arose. The old woman had forgotten to take it from her hat when shemade the others vanish in the earth. But so it is when one'sthoughts are not collected. "What!" said Gerda. "Are there no roseshere?" and she ran about amongst the flower beds, and looked, andlooked, but there was not one to be found. She then sat down andwept; but her hot tears fell just where a rose-bush had sunk; andwhen her warm tears watered the ground, the tree shot up suddenlyas fresh and blooming as when it had been swallowed up. Gerdakissed the roses, thought of her own dear roses at home, and withthem of little Kay."Oh, how long I have stayed!" said the little girl. "I intendedto look for Kay! Don't you know where he is?" she asked of theroses. "Do you think he is dead and gone?""Dead he certainly isnot," said the Roses. "We have been in the earth where all the deadare, but Kay was not there.""Many thanks!" said little Gerda; andshe went to the other flowers, looked into their cups, and asked,"Don't you know where little Kay is?"But every flower stood in thesunshine, and dreamed its own fairy tale or its own story: and theyall told her very many things, but not one knew anything ofKay.

Well, what did the Tiger-Lily say?"Hearest thou not the drum? Bum! Bum! Those are the only twotones. Always bum! Bum! Hark to the plaintive song of the oldwoman, to the call of the priests! The Hindoo woman in her longrobe stands upon the funeral pile; the flames rise around her andher dead husband, but the Hindoo woman thinks on the living one inthe surrounding circle; on him whose eyes burn hotter than theflames--on him, the fire of whose eyes pierces her heart more thanthe flames which soon will burn her body to ashes. Can the heart'sflame die in the flame of the funeral pile?""I don't understandthat at all," said little Gerda."That is my story," said the Lily.

What did the Convolvulus say?"Projecting over a narrow mountain-path there hangs an old feudalcastle.

Thick evergreens grow on the dilapidated walls, and around thealtar, where a lovely maiden is standing: she bends over therailing and looks out upon the rose. No fresher rose hangs on thebranches than she; no apple blossom carried away by the wind ismore buoyant! How her silken robe is rustling!"'Is he not yet come?'""Is it Kay that you mean?" asked littleGerda."I am speaking about my story--about my dream," answered theConvolvulus.What did the Snowdrops say?"Between the trees a long board is hanging--it is a swing. Twolittle girls are sitting in it, and swing themselves backwards andforwards; their frocks are as white as snow, and long green silkribands flutter from their bonnets.

Their brother, who is older than they are, stands up in theswing; he twines his arms round the cords to hold himself fast, forin one hand he has a little cup, and in the other a clay-pipe. Heis blowing soap-bubbles. The swing moves, and the bubbles float incharming changing colors: the last is still hanging to the end ofthe pipe, and rocks in the breeze. The swing moves. The littleblack dog, as light as a soap-bubble, jumps up on his hind legs totry to get into the swing. It moves, the dog falls down, barks, andis angry. They tease him; the bubble bursts! A swing, a burstingbubble--such is my song!""What you relate may be very pretty, butyou tell it in so melancholy a manner, and do not mention Kay."Whatdo the Hyacinths say?"There were once upon a time three sisters, quite transparent,and very beautiful. The robe of the one was red, that of the secondblue, and that of the third white. They danced hand in hand besidethe calm lake in the clear moonshine. They were not elfin maidens,but mortal children. A sweet fragrance was smelt, and the maidensvanished in the wood; the fragrance grew stronger--three coffins,and in them three lovely maidens, glided out of the forest andacross the lake: the shining glow-worms flew around like littlefloating lights. Do the dancing maidens sleep, or are they dead?The odour of the flowers says they are corpses; the evening belltolls for the dead!""You make me quite sad," said little Gerda. "Icannot help thinking of the dead maidens. Oh! is little Kay reallydead? The Roses have been in the earth, and they say no.""Ding,dong!" sounded the Hyacinth bells. "We do not toll for little Kay;we do not know him. That is our way of singing, the only one wehave."And Gerda went to the Ranunculuses, that looked forth fromamong the shining green leaves."You are a little bright sun!" said Gerda. "Tell me if you knowwhere I can find my playfellow."And the Ranunculus shone brightly,and looked again at Gerda. What song could the Ranunculus sing? Itwas one that said nothing about Kay either."In a small court the bright sun was shining in the first days ofspring. The beams glided down the white walls of a neighbor'shouse, and close by the fresh yellow flowers were growing, shininglike gold in the warm sun-rays. An old grandmother was sitting inthe air; her grand-daughter, the poor and lovely servant just come for a short visit. She knows her grandmother.There was gold, pure virgin gold in that blessed kiss. There, thatis my little story," said the Ranunculus."My poor old grandmother!" sighed Gerda. "Yes, she is longing forme, no doubt: she is sorrowing for me, as she did for little Kay.But I will soon come home, and then I will bring Kay with me. It isof no use asking the flowers; they only know their own old rhymes,and can tell me nothing." And she tucked up her frock, to enableher to run quicker; but the Narcissus gave her a knock on the leg,just as she was going to jump over it. So she stood still, lookedat the long yellow flower, and asked, "You perhaps know something?"and she bent down to the Narcissus. And what did it say?"I can see myself--I can see myself! Oh, how odorous I am! Up inthe little garret there stands, half-dressed, a little Dancer. Shestands now on one leg, now on both; she despises the whole world;yet she lives only in imagination.

She pours water out of the teapot over a piece of stuff which sheholds in her hand; it is the bodice; cleanliness is a fine thing.The white dress is hanging on the hook; it was washed in theteapot, and dried on the roof. She puts it on, ties asaffron-colored kerchief round her neck, and then the gown lookswhiter. I can see myself--I can see myself!""That's nothing to me,"said little Gerda. "That does not concern me." And then off she ranto the further end of the garden.

The gate was locked, but she shook the rusted bolt till it wasloosened, and the gate opened; and little Gerda ran off barefootedinto the wide world. She looked round her thrice, but no onefollowed her. At last she could run no longer; she sat down on alarge stone, and when she looked about her, she saw that the summerhad passed; it was late in the autumn, but that one could notremark in the beautiful garden, where there was always sunshine,and where there were flowers the whole year round.　　"Dear me, how long I have staid!" said Gerda. "Autumn is come. Imust not rest any longer." And she got up to go further.Oh, how tender and wearied her little feet were! All around itlooked so cold and raw: the long willow-leaves were quite yellow,and the fog dripped from them like water; one leaf fell after theother: the sloes only stood full of fruit, which set one's teeth onedge. Oh, how dark and comfortless it was in the drearyworld!

FOURTH STORY. The Princeand Princess
Gerda was obliged to rest herselfagain, when, exactly opposite to her, a large Raven came hoppingover the white snow. He had long been looking at Gerda and shakinghis head; and now he said, "Caw! Caw!" Good day! Goodday!
　
He could not say it better; but hefelt a sympathy for the little girl, and asked her where she wasgoing all alone. The word "alone" Gerda understood quite well, andfelt how much was expressed by it; so she told the Raven her wholehistory, and asked if he had not seen Kay.

The Raven nodded very gravely, and said, "It may be--it maybe!""What, do you really think so?" cried the little girl; and shenearly squeezed the Raven to death, so much did she kiss him."Gently, gently," said the Raven. "I think I know; I think thatit may be little Kay. But now he has forgotten you for the Princess.""Does he live with a Princess?" asked Gerda."Yes--listen," said the Raven; "but it will be difficult for meto speak your language. If you understand the Raven language I cantell you better.""No, I have not learnt it," said Gerda; "but mygrandmother understands it, and she can speak gibberish too. I wishI had learnt it.""No matter," said the Raven; "I will tell you aswell as I can; however, it will be bad enough." And then he toldall he knew."In the kingdom where we now are there lives a Princess, who isextraordinarily clever; for she has read all the newspapers in thewhole world, and has forgotten them again--so clever is she. Shewas lately, it is said, sitting on her throne--which is not veryamusing after all--when she began humming an old tune, and it wasjust, 'Oh, why should I not be married?''That song is not without its meaning,' said she, and so then shewas determined to marry; but she would have a husband who knew howto give an answer when he was spoken to--not one who looked only asif he were a great personage, for that is so tiresome. She then hadall the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heardher intention, all were very pleased, and said, 'We are very gladto hear it; it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You maybelieve every word I say," said the Raven; "for I have a tamesweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free, and it was shewho told me all this."The newspapers appeared forthwith with a border of hearts andthe initials of the Princess; and therein you might read that everygood-looking young man was at liberty to come to the palace andspeak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as showed hefelt himself at home there, that one the Princess would choose forher husband."Yes, Yes," said the Raven, "you may believe it; it is as true asI am sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush and ahurry, but no one was successful either on the first or second day.They could all talk well enough when they were out in the street;but as soon as they came inside the palace gates, and saw the guardrichly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in gold on the staircase,and the large illuminated saloons, then they were abashed; and whenthey stood before the throne on which the Princess was sitting, allthey could do was to repeat the last word they had uttered, and tohear it again did not interest her very much. It was just as if thepeople within were under a charm, and had fallen into a trance tillthey came out again into the street; for then--oh, then--they couldchatter enough. There was a whole row of them standing from thetown-gates to the palace. I was there myself to look," said theRaven. "They grew hungry and thirsty; but from the palace they gotnothing whatever, not even a glass of water. Some of the cleverest,it is true, had taken bread and butter with them: but none sharedit with his neighbor, for each thought, 'Let him look hungry, andthen the Princess won't have him.'""But Kay--little Kay," saidGerda, "when did he come? Was he among the number?""Patience,patience; we are just come to him. It was on the third day when alittle personage without horse or equipage, came marching rightboldly up to the palace; his eyes shone like yours, he hadbeautiful long hair, but his clothes were very shabby.""That wasKay," cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. "Oh, now I've foundhim!" and she clapped her hands for joy."He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Raven."No, that was certainly his sledge," said Gerda; "for when hewent away he took his sledge with him.""That may be," said theRaven; "I did not examine him so minutely; but I know from my tamesweetheart, that when he came into the court-yard of the palace,and saw the body-guard in silver, the lackeys on the staircase, hewas not the least abashed; he nodded, and said to them, 'It must bevery tiresome to stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in.'The saloons were gleaming with lustres--privy councillors andexcellencies were walking about barefooted, and wore gold keys; itwas enough to make any one feel uncomfortable. His boots creaked,too, so loudly, but still he was not at all afraid.""That's Kay forcertain," said Gerda. "I know he had on new boots; I have heardthem creaking in grandmama's room.""Yes, they creaked," said theRaven. "And on he went boldly up to the Princess, who was sittingon a pearl as large as a spinning-wheel. All the ladies of thecourt, with their attendants and attendants' attendants, and allthe cavaliers, with their gentlemen and gentlemen's gentlemen,stood round; and the nearer they stood to the door, the prouderthey looked. It was hardly possible to look at the gentleman'sgentleman, so very haughtily did he stand in the doorway.""It musthave been terrible," said little Gerda. "And did Kay get thePrincess?""Were I not a Raven, I should have taken the Princessmyself, although I am promised. It is said he spoke as well as Ispeak when I talk Raven language; this I learned from my tamesweetheart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to woothe Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased him, and hepleased her.""Yes, yes; for certain that was Kay," said Gerda. "Hewas so clever; he could reckon fractions in his head. Oh, won't youtake me to the palace?""That is very easily said," answered theRaven. "But how are we to manage it?

I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it: she must advise us;for so much I must tell you, such a little girl as you are willnever get permission to enter.""Oh, yes I shall," said Gerda; "whenKay hears that I am here, he will come out directly to fetchme.""Wait for me here on these steps," said the Raven. He moved hishead backwards and forwards and flew away.

The evening was closing in when the Raven returned. "Caw--caw!"said he. "She sends you her compliments; and here is a roll foryou. She took it out of the kitchen, where there is bread enough.You are hungry, no doubt. It is not possible for you to enter thepalace, for you are barefooted: the guards in silver, and thelackeys in gold, would not allow it; but do not cry, you shall comein still. My sweetheart knows a little back stair that leads to thebedchamber, and she knows where she can get the key of it."And theywent into the garden in the large avenue, where one leaf wasfalling after the other; and when the lights in the palace had allgradually disappeared, the Raven led little Gerda to the back door,which stood half open.

Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with anxiety and longing! It was justas if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet she onlywanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must be there. Shecalled to mind his intelligent eyes, and his long hair, so vividly,she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they were sittingunder the roses at home. "He will, no doubt, be glad to see you--tohear what a long way you have come for his sake; to know howunhappy all at home were when he did not come back."Oh, what afright and a joy it was!

They were now on the stairs. A single lamp was burning there; andon the floor stood the tame Raven, turning her head on every sideand looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother had taught herto do."My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear younglady," said the tame Raven. "Your tale is very affecting. If youwill take the lamp, I will go before. We will go straight on, forwe shall meet no one.""I think there is somebody just behind us,"said Gerda; and something rushed past: it was like shadowy figureson the wall; horses with flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen,ladies and gentlemen on horseback.

"They are only dreams," said theRaven. "They come to fetch the thoughts of the high personages tothe chase; 'tis well, for now you can observe them in bed all thebetter. But let me find, when you enjoy honor and distinction, thatyou possess a grateful heart.""Tut! That's not worth talkingabout," said the Raven of the woods.

They now entered the first saloon, which was of rose-coloredsatin, with artificial flowers on the wall. Here the dreams wererushing past, but they hastened by so quickly that Gerda could notsee the high personages. One hall was more magnificent than theother; one might indeed well be abashed; and at last they came intothe bedchamber. The ceiling of the room resembled a large palm-treewith leaves of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle, from athick golden stem, hung two beds, each of which resembled a lily.One was white, and in this lay the Princess; the other was red, andit was here that Gerda was to look for little Kay. She bent backone of the red leaves, and saw a brown neck. Oh! that was Kay! Shecalled him quite loud by name, held the lamp towards him--thedreams rushed back again into the chamber--he awoke, turned hishead, and--it was not little Kay!

The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was young andhandsome.

And out of the white lily leaves the Princess peeped, too, andasked what was the matter. Then little Gerda cried, and told herher whole history, and all that the Ravens had done for her.　　
"Poor little thing!" said the Prince and the Princess. Theypraised the Ravens very much, and told them they were not at allangry with them, but they were not to do so again. However, theyshould have a reward. "Will you fly about here at liberty," askedthe Princess; "or would you like to have a fixed appointment ascourt ravens, with all the broken bits from the kitchen?"And boththe Ravens nodded, and begged for a fixed appointment; for theythought of their old age, and said, "It is a good thing to have aprovision for our old days."And the Prince got up and let Gerdasleep in his bed, and more than this he could not do. She foldedher little hands and thought, "How good men and animals are!" andshe then fell asleep and slept soundly. All the dreams flew inagain, and they now looked like the angels; they drew a littlesledge, in which little Kay sat and nodded his head; but the wholewas only a dream, and therefore it all vanished as soon as sheawoke.

The next day she was dressed from head to foot in silk andvelvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead ahappy life; but she begged to have a little carriage with a horsein front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she wouldagain go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.

Shoes and a muff were given her; she was, too, dressed verynicely; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage stoppedbefore the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of the Princeand Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman, the footmen,and the outriders, for outriders were there, too, all wore goldencrowns. The Prince and the Princess assisted her into the carriagethemselves, and wished her all success. The Raven of the woods, whowas now married, accompanied her for the first three miles. He satbeside Gerda, for he could not bear riding backwards; the otherRaven stood in the doorway, and flapped her wings; she could notaccompany Gerda, because she suffered from headache since she hadhad a fixed appointment and ate so much.　　
The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seatswere fruits and gingerbread."Farewell! Farewell!" cried Prince and Princess; and Gerda wept,and the Raven wept. Thus passed the first miles; and then the Ravenbade her farewell, and this was the most painful separation of all.He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as he couldsee the carriage, that shone from afar like asunbeam. .

FIFTH STORY. The Little Robber Maiden
They drove through the dark wood; butthe carriage shone like a torch, and it dazzled the eyes of therobbers, so that they could not bear to look atit."'Tis gold! 'Tis gold!" they cried;and they rushed forward, seized the horses, knocked down the littlepostilion, the coachman, and the servants, and pulled little Gerdaout of the carriage."How plump, how beautiful she is! Shemust have been fed on nut-kernels," said the old female robber, whohad a long, scrubby beard, and bushy eyebrows that hung down overher eyes. "She is as good as a fatted lamb! How nice she will be!"And then she drew out a knife, the blade of which shone so that itwas quite dreadful to behold."Oh!" cried the woman at the samemoment. She had been bitten in the ear by her own little daughter,who hung at her back; and who was so wild and unmanageable, that itwas quite amusing to see her. "You naughty child!" said the mother:and now she had not time to kill Gerda.

"She shall play with me," said thelittle robber child. "She shall give me her muff, and her prettyfrock; she shall sleep in my bed!" And then she gave her motheranother bite, so that she jumped, and ran round with the pain; andthe Robbers laughed, and said, "Look, how she is dancing with thelittle one!""I will go into the carriage," said the little robbermaiden; and she would have her will, for she was very spoiled andvery headstrong. She and Gerda got in; and then away they droveover the stumps of felled trees, deeper and deeper into the woods.The little robber maiden was as tall as Gerda, but stronger,broader-shouldered, and of dark complexion; her eyes were quiteblack; they looked almost melancholy. She embraced little Gerda,and said," They shall not kill you as long as I am not displeasedwith you. You are, doubtless, a Princess?""No," said little Gerda;who then related all that had happened to her, and how much shecared about little Kay.

The little robber maiden looked ather with a serious air, nodded her heads lightly, and said, "Theyshall not kill you, even if I am angry withyou:then I will do it myself"; and shedried Gerda's eyes, and put both her hands in the handsome muff,which was so soft and warm.

At length the carriage stopped. Theywere in the midst of the court-yard of a robber's castle. It wasfull of cracks from top to bottom; and out of the openings magpiesand rooks were flying; and the great bull-dogs, each of whichlooked as if he could swallow a man, jumped up, but they did notbark, for that was forbidden.

In the midst of the large, old,smoking hall burnt a great fire on the stone floor. The smoke disappeared under the stones, and had to seek its ownegress.

In an immense caldron soup was boiling; and rabbits and hares were being roasted on aspit.

"You shall sleep with me to-night, with all my animals," said thelittle robber maiden. They had something to eat anddrink; and then went into a corner,where straw and carpets were lying. Beside them, on laths andperches, sat nearly a hundred pigeons, all asleep, seemingly; butyet they moved a little when the robber maiden came. "They are allmine," said she, at the same time seizing one that was next to herby the legs and shaking it so that its wings fluttered. "Kiss it,"cried the little girl, and flung the pigeon in Gerda's face. "Upthere is the rabble of the wood," continued she, pointing toseveral laths which were fastened before a hole high up in thewall; "that's the rabble; they would all fly away immediately, ifthey were not well fastened in. And here is my dear old Bac"; andshe laid hold of the horns of a reindeer, that had a bright copperring round its neck, and was tethered to the spot. "We are obligedto lock this fellow in too, or he would make his escape. Everyevening I tickle his neck with my sharp knife; he is so frightenedat it!" and the little girl drew forth a long knife, from a crackin the wall, and let it glide over the Reindeer's neck. The pooranimal kicked; the girl laughed, and pulled Gerda into bed withher."Do you intend to keep your knife while you sleep?" asked Gerda; looking at it ratherfearfully."I always sleep with the knife," saidthe little robber maiden. "There is no knowing what may happen. Buttell me now, once more, all about little Kay; and why you havestarted off in the wide world alone." And Gerda related all, fromthe very beginning: the Wood-pigeons cooed above in their cage, andthe others slept. The little robber maiden wound her arm roundGerda's neck, held the knife in the other hand, and snored so loudthat everybody could hear her; but Gerda could not close her eyes,for she did not know whether she was to live or die. The robberssat round the fire, sang and drank; and the old female robberjumped about so, that it was quite dreadful for Gerda to seeher.

Then the Wood-pigeons said, "Coo!Coo! We have seen little Kay! A white hen carries his sledge; hehimself sat in the carriage of the Snow Queen, who passed here,down just over the wood, as we lay in our nest. She blew upon usyoung ones; and all died except we two. Coo! Coo!""What is that yousay up there?" cried little Gerda. "Where did the Snow Queen go to?Do you know anything about it?""She is no doubt gone to Lapland;for there is always snow and ice there. Only ask the Reindeer, whois tethered there.""Ice and snow is there! There it is, gloriousand beautiful!" said the Reindeer. "One can spring about in thelarge shining valleys! The Snow Queen has her summer-tent there;but her fixed abode is high up towards the North Pole, on theIsland called Spitzbergen.""Oh, Kay! Poor little Kay!" sighedGerda.

"Do you choose to be quiet?" said the robber maiden. "If you don't, I shall make you."In the morningGerda told her all that the Wood-pigeons had said; and the littlemaiden looked very serious, but she nodded her head, and said,"That's no matter--that's no matter. Do you know where Laplandlies!" she asked of the Reindeer."Who should know better than I?" saidthe animal; and his eyes rolled in his head. "I was born and bredthere--there I leapt about on the fields of snow.""Listen," saidthe robber maiden to Gerda. "You see that the men are gone; but mymother is still here, and will remain. However, towards morning shetakes a draught out of the large flask, and then she sleeps alittle: then I will do something for you." She now jumped out ofbed, flew to her mother; with her arms round her neck, and pullingher by the beard, said, "Good morrow, my own sweet nanny-goat of amother." And her mother took hold of her nose, and pinched it tillit was red and blue; but this was all done out of purelove.

When the mother had taken a sup ather flask, and was having a nap, the little robber maiden went tothe Reindeer, and said, "I should very much like to give you stillmany a tickling with the sharp knife, for then you are so amusing;however, I will untether you, and help you out, so that you may goback to Lapland. But you must make good use of your legs; and takethis little girl for me to the palace of the Snow Queen, where herplayfellow is. You have heard, I suppose, all she said; for shespoke loud enough, and you were listening. "The Reindeer gave abound for joy. The robber maiden lifted up little Gerda, and tookthe precaution to bind her fast on the Reindeer's back; she evengave her a small cushion to sit on. "Here are your worsted leggins,for it will be cold; but the muff I shall keep for myself, for itis so very pretty. But I do not wish you to be cold. Here is a pairof lined gloves of my mother's; they just reach up to your elbow.On with them! Now you look about the hands just like my ugly oldmother!"And Gerda wept for joy.

"I can't bear to see you fretting,"said the little robber maiden. "This is just the time when youought to look pleased. Here are two loaves and a ham for you, sothat you won't starve." The bread and the meat were fastened to theReindeer's back; the little maiden opened the door, called in allthe dogs, and then with her knife cut the rope that fastened theanimal, and said to him, "Now, off with you; but take good care ofthe little girl!"And Gerda stretched out her hands with the largewadded gloves towards the robber maiden, and said, "Farewell!" andthe Reindeer flew on over bush and bramble through the great wood,over moor and heath, as fast as he couldgo."Ddsa! Ddsa!" was heard in the sky.It was just as if somebody was sneezing."These are my old northern-lights,"said the Reindeer, "look how they gleam!"And on he now sped stillquicker--day and night on he went: the loaves wereconsumed, and theham too; and now they were in Lapland..

SIXTH STORY. The LaplandWoman and the Finland Woman
Suddenly they stopped before a littlehouse, which looked very miserable. The roof reached to the ground;and the door was so low, that the family were obliged to creep upontheir stomachs when they went in or out. Nobody was at home exceptan old Lapland woman, who was dressing fish by the light of an oillamp. And the Reindeer told her the whole of Gerda's history, butfirst of all his own; for that seemed to him of much greaterimportance. Gerda was so chilled that she could notspeak.
　
"Poor thing," said the Lapland woman,"you have far to run still. You have more than a hundred miles togo before you get to Finland; there the Snow Queen has hercountry-house, and burns blue lights every evening. I will give youa few words from me, which I will write on a dried haberdine, forpaper I have none; this you can take with you to the Finland woman,and she will be able to give you more information than I can."WhenGerda had warmed herself, and had eaten and drunk, the Laplandwoman wrote a few words on a dried haberdine, begged Gerda to takecare of them, put her on the Reindeer, bound her fast, and awaysprang the animal. "Ddsa! Ddsa!"was again heard in the air; themost charming blue lights burned the whole night in the sky, and atlast they came to Finland. They knocked at the chimney of theFinland woman; for as to a door, she hadnone.

There was such a heat inside that theFinland woman herself went about almost naked. She was diminutiveand dirty. She immediately loosened little Gerda's clothes, pulledoff her thick gloves and boots; for otherwise the heat would havebeen too great--and after laying a piece of ice on the Reindeer'shead, read what was written on the fish-skin. She read it threetimes: she then knew it by heart; so she put the fish into thecupboard--for it might very well be eaten, and she never threwanything away.

Then the Reindeer related his ownstory first, and afterwards that of little Gerda; and the Finlandwoman winked her eyes, but said nothing."You are so clever," said theReindeer; "you can, I know, twist all the winds of the worldtogether in a knot. If the seaman loosens one knot, then he has agood wind; if a second, then it blows pretty stiffly; if he undoesthe third and fourth, then it rages so that the forests areupturned. Will you give the little maiden a potion, that she maypossess the strength of twelve men, and vanquish the SnowQueen?""The strength of twelve men!" said the Finland woman. "Muchgood that would be!" Then she went to a cupboard, and drew out alarge skin rolled up. When she had unrolled it, strange characterswere to be seen written thereon; and the Finland woman read at sucha rate that the perspiration trickled down herforehead.

But the Reindeer begged so hard forlittle Gerda, and Gerda looked so imploringly with tearful eyes atthe Finland woman, that she winked, and drew the Reindeer asideinto a corner, where they whispered together, while the animal gotsome fresh ice put on his head."'Tis true little Kay is at the SnowQueen's, and finds everything there quite to his taste; and hethinks it the very best place in the world; but the reason of thatis, he has a splinter of glass in his eye, and in hisheart.

These must be got out first;otherwise he will never go back to mankind, and the Snow Queen willretain her power over him.""But can you give little Gerda nothingto take which will endue her with power over thewhole?""I can give her no more power thanwhat she has already. Don't you see how great it is? Don't you seehow men and animals are forced to serve her; how well she getsthrough the world barefooted? She must not hear of her power fromus; that power lies in her heart, because she is a sweet andinnocent child! If she cannot get to the Snow Queen by herself, andrid little Kay of the glass, we cannot help her.
Two mileshence the garden of the Snow Queen begins; thither you may carrythe little girl. Set her down by the large bush with red berries,standing in the snow; don't stay talking, but hasten back as fastas possible." And now the Finland woman placed little Gerda on theReindeer's back, and off he ran with all imaginablespeed.

"Oh! I have not got my boots! I havenot brought my gloves!" cried little Gerda. She remarked she waswithout them from the cutting frost; but the Reindeer dared notstand still; on he ran till he came to the great bush with the redberries, and there he set Gerda down, kissed her mouth, while largebright tears flowed from the animal's eyes, and then back he wentas fast as possible. There stood poor Gerda now, without shoes orgloves, in the very middle of dreadful icyFinland.

She ran on as fast as she could.There then came a whole regiment of snow-flakes, but they did notfall from above, and they were quite bright and shining from theAurora Borealis. The flakes ran along the ground, and the nearerthey came the larger they grew. Gerda well remembered how large andstrange the snow-flakes appeared when she once saw them through amagnifying-glass; but now they were large and terrific in anothermanner--they were all alive. They were the outposts of the SnowQueen. They had the most wondrous shapes; some looked like largeugly porcupines; others like snakes knotted together, with theirheads sticking out; and others, again, like small fat bears, withthe hair standing on end: all were of dazzling whiteness--all wereliving snow-flakes.

Little Gerda repeated the Lord'sPrayer. The cold was so intense that she could see her own breath,which came like smoke out of her mouth. It grew thicker andthicker, and took the form of little angels, that grew more andmore when they touched the earth. All had helms on their heads, andlances and shields in their hands; they increased in numbers; andwhen Gerda had finished the Lord's Prayer, she was surrounded by awhole legion. They thrust at the horrid snow-flakes with theirspears, so that they flew into a thousand pieces; and little Gerdawalked on bravely and in security. The angels patted her hands andfeet; and then she felt the cold less, and went on quickly towardsthe palace of the Snow Queen.

But now we shall see how Kay fared.He never thought of Gerda, and least ofall that she was standingbefore the palace.
　　
SEVENTH STORY. What TookPlace in the Palace of the Snow Queen, and what HappenedAfterward

The walls of the palace were of driving snow, and the windows anddoors of cutting winds. There were more than a hundred halls there,according as the snow was driven by the winds. The largest was manymiles in extent; all were lighted up by the powerful AuroraBorealis, and all were so large, so empty, so icy cold, and soresplendent! Mirth never reigned there; there was never even alittle bear-ball, with the storm for music, while the polar bearswent on their hind legs and showed off their steps. Never a littletea-party of white young lady foxes; vast, cold, and empty were thehalls of the Snow Queen. The northern-lights shone with suchprecision that one could tell exactly when they were at theirhighest or lowest degree of brightness. In the middle of the empty,endless hall of snow, was a frozen lake; it was cracked in athousand pieces, but each piece was so like the other, that itseemed the work of a cunning artificer. In the middle of this lakesat the Snow Queen when she was at home; and then she said she wassitting in the Mirror of Understanding, and that this was the onlyone and the best thing in the world.

Little Kay was quite blue, yes nearly black with cold; but he didnot observe it, for she had kissed away all feeling of cold fromhis body, and his heart was a lump of ice. He was dragging alongsome pointed flat pieces of ice, which he laid together in allpossible ways, for he wanted to make something with them; just aswe have little flat pieces of wood to make geometrical figureswith, called the Chinese Puzzle. Kay made all sorts of figures, themost complicated, for it was an ice-puzzle for the understanding.In his eyes the figures were extraordinarily beautiful, and of theutmost importance; for the bit of glass which was in his eye causedthis. He found whole figures which represented a written word; buthe never could manage to represent just the word he wanted--thatword was "eternity"; and the Snow Queen had said, "If you candiscover that figure, you shall be your own master, and I will makeyou a present of the whole world and a pair of new skates." But hecould not find it out.

"I am going now to warm lands," said the Snow Queen. "I must have alook down into the black caldrons." It was the volcanoes Vesuviusand Etna that she meant. "I will just give them a coating of white,for that is as it ought to be; besides, it is good for the orangesand the grapes." And then away she flew, and Kay sat quite alone inthe empty halls of ice that were miles long, and looked at theblocks of ice, and thought and thought till his skull was almostcracked. There he sat quite benumbed and motionless; one would haveimagined he was frozen to death.

Suddenly little Gerda stepped throughthe great portal into the palace. The gate was formed of cuttingwinds; but Gerda repeated her evening prayer, and the winds werelaid as though they slept; and the little maiden entered the vast,empty, cold halls. There she beheld Kay: she recognised him, flewto embrace him, and cried out, her arms firmly holding him thewhile, "Kay, sweet little Kay! Have I then found you at last?"Buthe sat quite still, benumbed and cold. Then little Gerda shedburning tears; and they fell on his bosom, they penetrated to hisheart, they thawed the lumps of ice, and consumed the splinters ofthe looking-glass; he looked at her, and she sang thehymn:"The rose in the valley is bloomingso sweet, And angels descend there the children to greet."HereuponKay burst into tears; he wept so much that the splinter rolled outof his eye, and he recognised her, and shouted, "Gerda, sweetlittle Gerda! Where have you been so long? And where have I been?"He looked round him. "How cold it is here!" said he. "How empty andcold!" And he held fast by Gerda, who laughed and wept for joy. Itwas so beautiful, that even the blocks of ice danced about for joy;and when they were tired and laid themselves down, they formedexactly the letters which the Snow Queen had told him to find out;so now he was his own master, and he would have the whole world anda pair of new skates into the bargain.

Gerda kissed his cheeks, and theygrew quite blooming; she kissed his eyes, and they shone like herown; she kissed his hands and feet, and he was again well andmerry. The Snow Queen might come back as soon as she liked; therestood his discharge written in resplendent masses ofice.

They took each other by the hand, andwandered forth out of the large hall; they talked of their oldgrandmother, and of the roses upon the roof; and wherever theywent, the winds ceased raging, and the sun burst forth. And whenthey reached the bush with the red berries, they found the Reindeerwaiting for them. He had brought another, a young one, with him,whose udder was filled with milk, which he gave to the little ones,and kissed their lips.

They then carried Kay andGerda--first to the Finland woman, where they warmed themselves inthe warm room, and learned what they were to do on their journeyhome; and they went to the Lapland woman, who made some new clothesfor them and repaired their sledges.

The Reindeer and the young hindleaped along beside them, and accompanied them to the boundary ofthe country. Here the first vegetation peeped forth; here Kay andGerda took leave of the Lapland woman. "Farewell! Farewell!" theyall said. And the first green buds appeared, the first little birdsbegan to chirrup; and out of the wood came, riding on a magnificenthorse, which Gerda knew (it was one of the leaders in the goldencarriage), a young damsel with a bright-red cap on her head, andarmed with pistols. It was the little robber maiden, who, tired ofbeing at home, had determined to make a journey to the north; andafterwards in another direction, if that did not please her. Sherecognised Gerda immediately, and Gerda knew her too. It was ajoyful meeting.

"You are a fine fellow for trampingabout," said she to little Kay; "I should like to know, faith, ifyou deserve that one should run from one end of the world to theother for your sake?"But Gerda patted her cheeks, and inquired forthe Prince and Princess.

"They are gone abroad," said theother."But the Raven?" asked littleGerda."Oh! The Raven is dead," sheanswered. "His tame sweetheart is a widow, and wears a bit of blackworsted round her leg; she laments most piteously, but it's allmere talk and stuff! Now tell me what you've been doing and how youmanaged to catch him."And Gerda and Kay both told theirstory.

And"Schnipp-schnapp-schnurre-basselurre," said the robber maiden; andshe took the hands of each, and promised that if she should someday pass through the town where they lived, she would come andvisit them; and then away she rode. Kay and Gerda took each other'shand: it was lovely spring weather, with abundance of flowers andof verdure. The church-bells rang, and the children recognised thehigh towers, and the large town; it was that in which they dwelt.They entered and hastened up to their grandmother's room, whereeverything was standing as formerly. The clock said "tick! tack!"and the finger moved round; but as they entered, they remarked thatthey were now grown up. The roses on the leads hung blooming in atthe open window; there stood the little children's chairs, and Kayand Gerda sat down on them, holding each other by the hand; theyboth had forgotten the cold empty splendor of the Snow Queen, asthough it had been a dream. The grandmother satin the brightsunshine, and read aloud from the Bible: "Unless ye become as little children, ye cannot enter thekingdom of heaven."And Kay and Gerda looked in each other'seyes, and all at once they understood the oldhymn:"The rose in the valley is bloomingso sweet, And angels descend there the children to greet."There satthe two grown-up persons; grown-up, and yet children; children atleast in heart; and it was summer-time; summer, glorious summer