The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
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he had forgotten little Gerda, his grandmother, and all at home .

" now you_must_have no more kisses," she said, " or i_should kiss you to death ."

Kay looked at her, and saw that she was so beautiful, he_could_not imagine a more lovely and intelligent face; she did_not now seem_to_be made of ice, as when he had seen her through his window, and she had nodded to him . in_his eyes she was perfect, and she did_not feel at all afraid . he_told her he_could do mental arithmetic, as far as fractions, and_that he_knew the number of square miles and_the number of inhabitants in_the country . and she always smiled so_that he thought he_did_not know enough yet, and she looked round the vast expanse as she flew higher and higher with_him upon a black cloud, while the storm blew and howled as_if it were singing old songs . 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,- and so Kay passed through_the long winter's night, and by day he slept at_the feet of_the snow queen .

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third story: the flower garden of_the woman who_could conjure

but how fared little Gerda during Kay's absence ? what had become of him, no one knew, nor could any_one give the slightest information, excepting the boys, who said that he had tied his sledge to another very large one, which had driven through_the street, and out at_the town gate . nobody knew where it went; many tears were shed for him, and little Gerda wept bitterly for_a_long_time . she said she knew he_must_be dead; that he_was drowned in_the river which flowed close by_the school .Oh, indeed those long winter days were very dreary . but at last spring came, with warm sunshine ."Kay is dead and gone," said little Gerda .

"I don't believe it," said the sunshine .

" he_is dead and gone," she said to_the sparrows .

" we don't believe it," they replied; and at last little Gerda began to doubt it herself ." i_will put on my new red shoes," she said one morning, " those that Kay has never seen, and then i_will go down to_the river, and ask for him ." it_was quite early when she kissed her old grandmother, who was still asleep; then she put on her red shoes, and went quite alone out_of_the town gates toward the river ." is_it true that you_have taken my little playmate away from me ? " said she to_the river ." i_will give_you my red shoes if_you_will give him back to_me ." and it seemed as if_the waves nodded to her in a strange manner . then she took off her red shoes, which she liked better than anything else, and threw them both into_the river, but they fell near the bank, and_the little waves carried them back to_the land, just as if_the river would_not take from her what she loved best, because they_could_not give her back little Kay . but she thought the shoes had_not_been thrown out far enough . then she crept into a boat that lay among_the reeds, and threw the shoes again from_the farther end of_the boat into_the water, but it_was not fastened . and her movement sent it gliding away from_the land . when she saw this she hastened to reach the end of_the boat, but before she_could so it_was more than a yard from_the bank, and drifting away faster than ever . then little Gerda was very_much frightened, and began to cry, but no one heard her except the sparrows, and they_could_not carry her to land, but they flew along by_the shore, and sang, as_if to comfort her, " here we_are ! here we_are ! " the boat floated with_the stream; little Gerda sat quite still with only her stockings on her feet; the red shoes floated after her, but she_could_not reach them because the boat kept so_much in advance . the banks on each side of_the river were very pretty . there were beautiful flowers, old trees, sloping fields, in_which cows and sheep were grazing, but not a man to_be seen . perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay, thought Gerda, and then she became more cheerful, and raised her head, and looked at_the beautiful green banks; and so the boat sailed on for hours . at_length she came to a large cherry orchard, in_which stood a small red house with strange red and blue windows . it had also a thatched roof, and outside were two wooden soldiers, that presented arms to her as she sailed past .Gerda called out to_them, for she thought they were alive, but of_course they_did_not answer; and as_the boat drifted nearer to_the shore, she saw what they really were . then Gerda called still louder, and there came a very old woman out_of_the house, leaning on a crutch . she wore a large hat to shade her from_the sun, and on_it were painted all sorts of pretty flowers ." you poor little child," said the old woman, " how did you manage to_come all this distance into_the wide world on_such a rapid rolling stream ? " and then the old woman walked in_the water, seized the boat with her crutch, drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out . and Gerda was glad to_feel herself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid of_the strange old woman ." come and tell me who you_are," said she, " and how came you here ."

then Gerda told her everything, while the old woman shook her head, and said, " hem- hem;" and when she had finished, Gerda asked if she had_not seen little Kay, and_the old woman told her he had_not passed by_that way, but he very likely would come . so she told Gerda not to_be sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look at_the flowers; they were better than any picture- book, for each of_them could tell a story . then she took Gerda by_the hand and led her into_the little house, and_the old woman closed the door . the windows were very high, and as_the panes were red, blue, and yellow, the daylight shone through them in all sorts of singular colors . on_the table stood beautiful cherries, and Gerda had permission to eat as_many as she_would . while she was eating them the old woman combed out her long flaxen ringlets with a golden comb, and_the glossy curls hung down on each side of_the little round pleasant face, which looked fresh and blooming as a rose ." I_have long been wishing for a dear little maiden like you," said the old woman, " and now you_must stay with me, and_see how happily we_shall live together ." and while she went on combing little Gerda's hair, she thought less_and_less about her adopted brother Kay, for_the old woman could conjure, although she was not a wicked witch; she conjured only a little for her own amusement, and now, because she wanted to_keep Gerda . therefore she went into_the garden, and stretched out her crutch towards all the rose-trees, beautiful though they were; and_they immediately sunk into_the dark earth, so_that no one could tell where they had once stood . the old woman was afraid that if little Gerda saw roses she_would think of_those at home, and then remember little Kay, and run away . then she took Gerda into_the flower- garden . how fragrant and beautiful it_was ! every flower that could_be thought of for every season of_the year was here in full bloom; no picture- book could_have more beautiful colors .Gerda jumped for joy, and played till the sun went down behind the tall cherry-trees; then she slept in an elegant bed with red silk pillows, embroidered with colored violets; and then she dreamed as pleasantly as a queen on her wedding day . the next_day, and for many days after, Gerda played with_the flowers in_the warm sunshine . she knew every flower, and yet, although there were so_many_of_them, it seemed as_if one were missing, but which it_was she_could_not tell . one day, however, as she sat looking at_the old woman's hat with_the painted flowers on_it, she saw that_the prettiest of_them all was a rose . the old woman had forgotten to_take it from her hat when she made all the roses sink into_the earth . but it_is difficult to_keep the thoughts together in everything; one little mistake upsets all our arrangements .

" what, are there no roses here ? " cried Gerda; and she ran out into_the garden, and examined all the beds, and searched and searched . there_was not one to_be found . then she sat down and wept, and her tears fell just on_the place where one_of_the rose-trees had sunk down . the warm tears moistened the earth, and_the rose- tree sprouted up at once, as blooming as when it had sunk; and Gerda embraced it and kissed the roses, and thought of_the beautiful roses at home, and, with_them, of little Kay .

"Oh, how I_have_been detained ! " said the little maiden, " i_wanted to seek for little Kay . do_you_know where he_is ? " she asked the roses; " do_you_think he_is dead ? "

and_the roses answered, " no, he_is_not dead . we_have_been in_the ground where all the dead lie; but Kay is_not there ."

" thank_you," said little Gerda, and then she went to_the other flowers, and looked into their little cups, and asked, " do_you_know where little Kay is ? " but each flower, as it stood in_the sunshine, dreamed only of_its own little fairy tale of history . not one knew anything of Kay .Gerda heard many stories from_the flowers, as she asked them one after another about him .

and what, said the tiger- lily ? " hark, do_you hear the drum ? - ' turn, turn,'- there_are only two notes, always, ' turn, turn .' listen to_the women's song of mourning ! hear the cry of_the priest ! in her long red robe stands the Hindoo widow by_the funeral pile . the flames rise around her as she places herself on_the dead body of her husband; but the Hindoo woman is thinking of_the living one in_that circle; of him, her son, who lighted those flames . those shining eyes trouble her heart more painfully than_the flames which will soon consume her body to ashes . can the fire of_the heart be extinguished in_the flames of_the funeral pile ? "

"I don't understand that at all," said little Gerda .

" that_is my story," said the tiger- lily .

what, says the convolvulus ? " near yonder narrow road stands an old knight's castle; thick ivy creeps over the old ruined walls, leaf over leaf, even to_the balcony, in_which stands a beautiful maiden . she bends over the balustrades, and looks up the road . no rose on its stem is fresher than she; no apple- blossom, wafted by_the wind, floats more lightly than she moves . her rich silk rustles as she bends over and exclaims, ' will he not come ? '

" is_it Kay you mean ? " asked Gerda .

" I_am only speaking of a story of_my dream," replied the flower .

what, said the little snow- drop ? " between two trees a rope is hanging; there_is a piece of board upon it; it_is a swing . two pretty little girls, in dresses white as snow, and with long green ribbons fluttering from their hats, are sitting upon it swinging . their brother who_is taller than they_are, stands in_the swing; he has one arm round the rope, to steady himself; in one hand he holds a little bowl, and in_the other a clay pipe; he_is blowing bubbles . as_the swing goes on, the bubbles fly upward, reflecting the most beautiful varying colors . the last still hangs from_the bowl of_the pipe, and sways in_the wind . on goes the swing; and then a little black dog comes running up . he_is almost as light as_the bubble, and he raises himself on_his hind legs, and wants to_be taken into_the swing; but it does_not stop, and_the dog falls; then he barks and gets angry . the children stoop towards him, and_the bubble bursts .aswinging plank, a light sparkling foam picture,- that_is my story ."

" it may_be all very pretty what you_are telling me," said little Gerda, " but you speak so mournfully, and you_do_not mention little Kay at all ."

what do_the hyacinths say ? " there were three beautiful sisters, fair and delicate . the dress of one was red, of_the second blue, and of_the third pure white . hand in hand they danced in_the bright moonlight, by_the calm lake; but they were human beings, not fairy elves . the sweet fragrance attracted them, and_they disappeared in_the wood; here the fragrance became stronger . three coffins, in_which lay the three beautiful maidens, glided from_the thickest part of_the forest across the lake . the fire-flies flew lightly over them, like little floating torches . do_the dancing maidens sleep, or are they dead ? the scent of_the flower says that_they_are corpses . the evening bell tolls their knell ."

" you make me quite sorrowful," said little Gerda; " your perfume is so strong, you make me think of_the dead maidens .Ah ! is little Kay really dead then ? the roses have_been in_the earth, and_they say no ."

" cling, clang," tolled the hyacinth bells ." we_are_not tolling for little Kay; we_do_not know him . we sing our song, the only_one we_know ."

then Gerda went to_the buttercups that were glittering amongst the bright green leaves .

" you_are little bright suns," said Gerda; " tell me if_you_know where I_can find my play- fellow ."

and_the buttercups sparkled gayly, and looked again at Gerda . what song could the buttercups sing ? it_was not about Kay .

" the bright warm sun shone on a little court, on_the first warm day of spring . his bright beams rested on_the white walls of_the neighboring house; and close by bloomed the first yellow flower of_the season, glittering like gold in_the sun's warm ray . an old woman sat in her arm chair at_the house door, and her granddaughter, a poor and pretty servant- maid came to_see her for a short visit . when she kissed her grandmother there_was gold everywhere: the gold of_the heart in_that holy kiss; it_was a golden morning; there_was gold in_the beaming

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]