The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
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in_the beaming sunlight, gold in_the leaves of_the lowly flower, and on_the lips of_the maiden . there, that_is my story," said the buttercup .

" my poor old grandmother ! " sighed Gerda; " she_is longing to_see me, and grieving for_me as she did for little Kay; but I_shall soon go home now, and take little Kay with me . it_is no use asking the flowers; they know only their own songs, and can give_me no information ."

and then she tucked up her little dress, that she might run faster, but the narcissus caught her by_the leg as she was jumping over it; so she stopped and looked at_the tall yellow flower, and said, " perhaps you_may know something ."

then she stooped down quite close to_the flower, and listened; and what did he say ?

" I_can_see myself, I_can_see myself," said the narcissus ."Oh, how sweet is my perfume ! up in a little room with a bow window, stands a little dancing girl, half undressed; she stands sometimes on one leg, and sometimes on both, and looks as_if she_would tread the whole world under her feet . she_is nothing but a delusion . she_is pouring water out of a tea- pot on a piece of stuff which she holds in her hand; it_is her bodice .' cleanliness is a good thing,' she says . her white dress hangs on a Peg; it has also been washed in_the tea- pot, and dried on_the roof . she puts it on, and ties a saffron- colored handkerchief round her neck, which makes the dress look whiter . see how she stretches out her legs, as_if she were showing off on a stem . I_can_see myself, I_can_see myself ."

" what do I care for all that," said Gerda, " you_need not tell me such stuff ." and then she ran to_the other end of_the garden . the door was fastened, but she pressed against the rusty latch, and it gave way . the door sprang open, and little Gerda ran out with bare feet into_the wide world . she looked back three times, but no one seemed to_be following her . at last she_could run no longer, so she sat down to rest on a great stone, and when she looked round she saw that_the summer was over, and autumn very far advanced . she had known nothing of_this in_the beautiful garden, where the sun shone and_the flowers grew all the year round .

"Oh, how I_have wasted my_time ? " said little Gerda; " it_is autumn . I_must not rest any longer," and she rose up to_go on . but her little feet were wounded and sore, and everything around her looked so cold and bleak . the long willow-leaves were quite yellow . the dew-drops fell like water, leaf after leaf dropped from_the trees, the sloe- thorn alone still bore fruit, but the sloes were sour, and set the teeth on edge .Oh, how dark and weary the whole world appeared ! [ edit]

fourth story: the prince and princess

Gerda was obliged to rest again, and just opposite the place where she sat, she saw a great crow come hopping across the snow toward her . he stood looking at her for some_time, and then he wagged his head and said, "Caw, caw; good- day, good- day ." he pronounced the words as plainly as he_could, because he meant to_be kind to_the little girl; and then he asked her where she was going all alone in_the wide world .

the word alone Gerda understood very_well, and knew how_much it expressed . so then she told the crow the whole story of her life and adventures, and asked him if he had seen little Kay .

the crow nodded his head very gravely, and said, " perhaps I_have- it may_be ."

" no ! do_you_think you_have ? " cried little Gerda, and she kissed the crow, and hugged him almost to death with joy .

" gently, gently," said the crow ."I believe I_know . i_think it may_be little Kay; but he has certainly forgotten you by_this_time for_the princess ."

"Does he live with a princess ? " asked Gerda .

" yes, listen," replied the crow, " but it_is so difficult to_speak your language . if_you understand the crows' language then I_can explain it better . do_you ? "

" no, I_have never learnt it," said Gerda, but my grandmother understands it, and used to_speak it to_me . i_wish I had learnt it ."

" it does_not matter," answered the crow; " i_will explain as_well as I_can, although it_will_be very badly done;" and he_told her what he had heard ." in_this kingdom where we now are," said he, " there lives a princess, who_is so wonderfully clever that she has read all the newspapers in_the_world, and forgotten them too, although she_is so clever .a short time ago, as she was sitting on her throne, which people say is_not such an agreeable seat as is often supposed, she began to sing a song which commences in_these words:

' why should I not be married ? '

' why_not indeed ? ' said she, and so she determined to marry if she_could find a husband who knew what to_say when he_was spoken to, and not one who_could only look grand, for_that was so tiresome . then she assembled all her court ladies together at_the beat of_the drum, and when_they heard of her intentions they were very_much pleased .' we_are so glad_to_hear it,' said they, we were talking about_it ourselves the other day .' you_may believe that every word I tell you is true," said the crow, " for I_have a tame sweetheart who goes freely about_the palace, and she told me all this ."

of_course his sweetheart was a crow, for "birds of a feather flock together," and one crow always chooses another crow .

"Newspapers were published immediately, with a border of hearts, and_the initials of_the princess among them . they gave notice that every young man who was handsome was free to visit the castle and speak with_the princess; and those who_could reply loud enough to_be heard when spoken to, were to_make themselves quite at home at_the palace; but the one who spoke best would_be chosen as a husband for_the princess . yes, yes, you_may believe me, it_is all as true as I sit here," said the crow ." the people came in crowds . there_was a great deal of crushing and running about, but no one succeeded either on_the first or second day . they_could all speak very_well while they were outside in_the streets, but when_they entered the palace gates, and saw the guards in silver uniforms, and_the footmen in their golden livery on_the staircase, and_the great halls lighted up, they became quite confused . and when_they stood before_the throne on_which the princess sat, they_could do nothing but repeat the last words she had said; and she had no particular wish to hear her own words over again . it_was just as if_they had all taken something to_make them sleepy while they were in_the palace, for they_did_not recover themselves nor speak till they got back again into_the street . there_was quite a long line of_them reaching from_the town- gate to_the palace .I went myself to_see them," said the crow ." they were hungry and thirsty, for at_the palace they_did_not get even a glass of water . some_of_the wisest had taken a few slices of bread and butter with_them, but they_did_not share it with their neighbors; they thought if_they went in to_the princess looking hungry, there would_be a better chance for themselves ."

" but Kay ! tell me about little Kay ! " said Gerda, " was he amongst the crowd ? "

" stop a bit, we_are just coming to him . it_was on_the third day, there came marching cheerfully along to_the palace a little personage, without horses or carriage, his eyes sparkling like yours; he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were very poor ."

" that was Kay ! " said Gerda joyfully ."Oh, then I_have found him;" and she clapped her hands .

" he had a little knapsack on_his back," added the crow .

" no, it must_have been his sledge," said Gerda; " for he went away with it ."

" it may have_been so," said the crow; " I_did_not look at it very closely . but I_know from my tame sweetheart that he passed through_the palace gates, saw the guards in their silver uniform, and_the servants in their liveries of gold on_the stairs, but he_was not in_the least embarrassed .' it must_be very tiresome to stand on_the stairs,' he_said .'I prefer to_go in ." the rooms were blazing with light .Councillors and ambassadors walked about with bare feet, carrying golden vessels; it_was enough to_make any_one feel serious . his boots creaked loudly as he walked, and yet he_was not at all uneasy ."

" it must_be Kay," said Gerda, " I_know he had new boots on, I_have heard them creak in grandmother's room ."

" they really did creak," said the crow, " yet he went boldly up_to_the princess herself, who was sitting on a pearl as large as aspinning wheel, and all the ladies of_the court were present with their maids, and all the cavaliers with their servants; and each of_the maids had another maid to wait upon her, and_the cavaliers' servants had their own servants, as_well as a page each . they all stood in circles round the princess, and_the nearer they stood to_the door, the prouder they looked . the servants' pages, who always wore slippers, could hardly be looked at, they held themselves up so proudly by_the door ."

" it must_be quite awful," said little Gerda, " but did Kay win the princess ? "

" if I had_not_been a crow," said he, " i_would_have married her myself, although I_am engaged . he spoke just as_well as I_do, when I speak the crows' language, so I heard from my tame sweetheart . he_was quite free and agreeable and said he had_not come to woo the princess, but to hear her wisdom; and he_was as pleased with her as she was with_him ."

"Oh, certainly that was Kay," said Gerda, " he_was so clever; he_could work mental arithmetic and fractions .Oh, will_you take me to_the palace ? "

" it_is very easy to ask that," replied the crow, " but how are we to manage it ? however, i_will speak about_it to my tame sweetheart, and ask her advice; for I_must tell you it_will_be very difficult to gain permission for a little girl like you to enter the palace ."

"Oh, yes; but I_shall gain permission easily," said Gerda, " for when Kay hears that I_am here, he_will come out and fetch me in immediately ."

" wait for_me here by_the palings," said the crow, wagging his head as he flew away .

it_was late in_the evening before_the crow returned ."Caw, caw," he_said, she sends you greeting, and here_is a little roll which she took from_the kitchen for_you; there_is plenty of bread there, and she thinks you_must_be hungry . it_is_not possible for_you to enter the palace by_the front entrance . the guards in silver uniform and_the servants in gold livery would_not allow it . but do_not cry, we_will manage to_get you in; my sweetheart knows a little back- staircase that leads to_the sleeping apartments, and she knows where to_find the key ."

then they went into_the garden through_the great avenue, where the leaves were falling one after another, and they_could see the light in_the palace being put out in_the same manner . and_the crow led little Gerda to_the back door, which stood ajar .Oh ! how little Gerda's heart beat with anxiety and longing; it_was just as_if she were going to_do something wrong, and yet she only wanted to_know where little Kay was ." it must_be he," she thought, " with those clear eyes, and_that long hair ." she_could fancy she saw him smiling at her, as he used to at home, when_they sat among_the roses . he_would certainly be_glad_to_see her, and to hear what a long distance she had come for_his sake, and to_know how sorry they had_been at home because he_did_not come back .Oh what joy and yet fear she felt ! they were now on_the stairs, and in a small closet at_the top a lamp was burning . in_the middle of_the floor stood the tame crow, turning her head from side to side, and gazing at Gerda, who curtseyed as her grandmother had taught her to_do .

" my betrothed has spoken so very highly of you, my little lady," said the tame crow, " your life- history, Vita, as it may_be called, is very touching . if_you_will take_the lamp i_will walk before_you . we_will go straight along_this way, then we_shall meet no one ."

" it seems to_me as_if somebody were behind us," said Gerda, as something rushed by her like a shadow on_the wall, and then horses with flying manes and thin legs, hunters, ladies and gentlemen on horseback, glided by her, like shadows on_the wall .

" they_are only dreams," said the crow, " they_are coming to fetch the thoughts of_the great people out hunting ."

" all the better, for we_shall_be_able to look at them in their beds more safely . I_hope_that when_you rise to honor and favor, you_will show a grateful heart ."

" you_may_be quite_sure of_that," said the crow from_the forest .

they now came into_the first hall, the walls of_which were hung with rose- colored satin, embroidered with artificial flowers . here the dreams again flitted by_them but so quickly that Gerda could_not distinguish the royal persons . each hall appeared more splendid than_the last, it_was enought to bewilder any_one . at_length they reached a bedroom . the ceiling was like a great palm- tree, with glass leaves of_the most costly crystal, and over the centre of_the floor two beds, each resembling a lily, hung from a stem of gold . one, in_which_the princess lay, was white, the other was red; and in_this Gerda had to seek for little Kay . she pushed one_of_the red leaves aside, and saw a little brown neck .Oh, that_must be Kay ! she called his name out quite loud, and held the lamp over him . the dreams rushed back into_the room on horseback . he woke, and turned his head round, it_was not little Kay ! the prince was only like him in_the neck, still

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