The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]
looking . she loosened little Gerda's dress, and took off the fur boots and_the mittens, or Gerda would_have_been unable to bear the heat; and then she placed a piece of ice on_the reindeer's head, and read what_was written on_the dried fish . after she had read it three times, she knew it by heart, so she popped the fish into_the soup saucepan, as she knew it_was good to eat, and she never wasted anything . the reindeer told his own story first, and then little Gerda's, and_the Finlander twinkled with her clever eyes, but she said nothing ." you_are so clever," said the reindeer; " I_know you_can tie all the winds of_the world with a piece of twine . if a sailor unties one knot, he has a fair wind; when he unties the second, it blows hard; but if_the third and fourth are loosened, then comes a storm, which will root up whole forests .Cannot you give this little maiden something which will make her as strong as twelve men, to overcome the snow queen ? "

" the power of twelve men ! " said the Finland woman; " that_would_be of very little use ." but she went to a shelf and took down and unrolled a large skin, on_which were inscribed wonderful characters, and she read till the perspiration ran down from her forehead . but the reindeer begged so hard for little Gerda, and Gerda looked at_the Finland woman with_such beseeching tearful eyes, that her own eyes began to twinkle again; so she drew the reindeer into a corner, and whispered to him while she laid a fresh piece of ice on_his head, " little Kay is really with_the snow queen, but he finds everything there so_much to_his taste and_his liking, that he believes it_is_the finest place in_the_world; but this_is because he has a piece of broken glass in_his heart, and a little piece of glass in_his eye . these must_be taken out, or he_will never be a human being again, and_the snow queen will retain her power over him ."

" but can_you not give little Gerda something to help her to conquer this power ? "

" I_can give her no greater power than she has already," said the woman; "don't you_see how strong that_is ? how men and animals are obliged to_serve her, and how well she has got through_the world, barefooted as she_is . she_cannot receive any power from me greater than she now has, which consists in her own purity and innocence of heart . if she_cannot herself obtain access to_the snow queen, and remove the glass fragments from little Kay, we_can do nothing to help her . two miles from here the snow queen's garden begins; you_can carry the little girl so_far, and set her down by_the large bush which stands in_the snow, covered with red berries . do_not stay gossiping, but come back here as quickly as_you_can ." then the Finland woman lifted little Gerda upon_the reindeer, and he ran away with her as quickly as he_could .

"Oh, I_have forgotten my boots and my mittens," cried little Gerda, as_soon_as she felt the cutting cold, but the reindeer dared not stop, so he ran on till he reached the bush with_the red berries; here he set Gerda down, and he kissed her, and_the great bright tears trickled over the animal's cheeks; then he left her and ran back as fast as he_could .

there stood poor Gerda, without shoes, without gloves, in_the midst of cold, dreary, ice- bound Finland . she ran forwards as quickly as she_could, when a whole regiment of snow-flakes came round her; they_did_not, however, fall from_the sky, which_was quite clear and glittering with_the northern lights . the snow-flakes ran along the ground, and_the nearer they came to her, the larger they appeared .Gerda remembered how large and beautiful they looked through_the burning- glass . but these were really larger, and much more terrible, for they were alive, and were the guards of_the snow queen, and had the strangest shapes . some were like great porcupines, others like twisted serpents with their heads stretching out, and some few were like little fat bears with their hair bristled; but all were dazzlingly white, and all were living snow-flakes . then little Gerda repeated the lord's prayer, and_the cold was so great that she_could see her own breath come out of her mouth like steam as she uttered the words . the steam appeared to increase, as she continued her prayer, till it took the shape of little angels who grew larger the moment they touched the earth . they all wore helmets on their heads, and carried spears and shields . their number continued to increase more and more; and by_the_time Gerda had finished her prayers, a whole legion stood round her . they thrust their spears into_the terrible snow-flakes, so that_they shivered into a hundred pieces, and little Gerda could go forward with courage and safety . the angels stroked her hands and feet, so_that she felt the cold less, and she hastened on to_the snow queen's castle .

but now we_must see what Kay is doing . in truth he thought not of little Gerda, and never supposed she_could be standing in_the front of_the palace .

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Seventh story: of_the palace of_the snow queen and what happened there at last

the walls of_the palace were formed of drifted snow, and_the windows and doors of_the cutting winds . there were more than a hundred rooms in_it, all as if_they had_been formed with snow blown together . the largest of_them extended for several miles; they were all lighted up by_the vivid light of_the aurora, and_they were so large and empty, so icy cold and glittering ! there were no amusements here, not even a little bear's ball, when_the storm might_have_been the music, and_the bears could_have danced on their hind legs, and shown their good manners . there were no pleasant games of snap- dragon, or touch, or even a gossip over the tea- table, for_the young- lady foxes . empty, vast, and cold were the halls of_the snow queen . the flickering flame of_the northern lights could_be plainly seen, whether they rose high or low in_the heavens, from every part of_the castle . in_the midst of_its empty, endless hall of snow was a frozen lake, broken on its surface into a thousand forms; each piece resembled another, from being in itself perfect as a work of art, and in_the centre of_this lake sat the snow queen, when she was at home . she called the lake " the mirror of reason," and said that_it_was the best, and indeed the only_one in_the_world .

little Kay was quite blue with cold, indeed almost black, but he_did_not feel it; for_the snow queen had kissed away the icy shiverings, and_his heart was already a lump of ice . he dragged some sharp, flat pieces of ice to and fro, and placed them together in all kinds of positions, as_if he_wished to_make something out_of_them; just as we_try to_form various figures with little tablets of wood which we call "a Chinese puzzle ." Kay's fingers were very artistic; it was_the icy game of reason at which he played, and in_his eyes the figures were very remarkable, and of_the highest importance; this opinion was owing to_the piece of glass still sticking in_his eye . he composed many complete figures, forming different words, but there_was one word he never could manage to_form, although he_wished it very_much . it was_the word " eternity ." the snow queen had said to him, " when_you can find out this, you shall be your own master, and_I_will give_you the whole world and a new pair of skates ." but he_could_not accomplish it .

" now I_must hasten away to warmer countries," said the snow queen ." i_will go and look into_the black craters of_the tops of_the burning mountains, Etna and Vesuvius, as_they_are called,- I_shall_make them look white, which will_be good for_them, and for_the lemons and_the grapes ." and away flew the snow queen, leaving little Kay quite alone in_the great hall which_was so_many miles in length; so he sat and looked at his pieces of ice, and was thinking so deeply, and sat so still, that any_one might_have supposed he_was frozen .

just at_this moment it happened that little Gerda came through_the great door of_the castle .Cutting winds were raging around her, but she offered up a prayer and_the winds sank down as if_they were going to sleep; and she went on till she came to_the large empty hall, and caught sight of Kay; she knew him directly; she flew to him and threw her arms round his neck, and held him fast, while she exclaimed, "Kay, dear little Kay, I_have found you at last ."

but he sat quite still, stiff and cold .

then little Gerda wept hot tears, which fell on_his breast, and penetrated into his heart, and thawed the lump of ice, and washed away the little piece of glass which had stuck there . then he looked at her, and she sang-

"Roses bloom and cease to_be, but we_shall the Christ- child see ."

then Kay burst into tears, and he wept so that_the splinter of glass swam out of_his eye . then he recognized Gerda, and said, joyfully, "Gerda, dear little Gerda, where have_you been all this_time, and where have I been ? " and he looked all around him, and said, " how cold it_is, and how large and empty it all looks," and he clung to Gerda, and she laughed and wept for joy . it_was so pleasing to_see them that_the pieces of ice even danced about; and when_they were tired and went to lie down, they formed themselves into_the letters of_the word which the snow queen had said he_must find out before he_could be his own master, and_have the whole world and a pair of new skates . then Gerda kissed his cheeks, and_they became blooming; and she kissed his eyes, and_they shone like her own; she kissed his hands and_his feet, and then he became quite healthy and cheerful . the snow queen might come home now when she pleased, for there stood his certainty of freedom, in_the word she wanted, written in shining letters of ice .

then they took each_other by_the hand, and went forth from_the great palace of ice . they spoke of_the grandmother, and of_the roses on_the roof, and as_they went on_the winds were at rest, and_the sun burst forth . when_they arrived at_the bush with red berries, there stood the reindeer waiting for_them, and he had brought another young reindeer with_him, whose udders were full, and_the children drank her warm milk and kissed her on_the mouth . then they carried Kay and Gerda first to_the Finland woman, where they warmed themselves thoroughly in_the hot room, and she gave them directions about their journey home . next they went to_the Lapland woman, who had made some new clothes for_them, and put their sleighs in_order . both the reindeer ran by their side, and followed them as far as_the boundaries of_the country, where the first green leaves were budding . and here they took leave of_the two reindeer and_the Lapland woman, and all said- farewell . then the birds began to twitter, and_the forest too was full of green young leaves; and out of it came a beautiful horse, which Gerda remembered, for it_was one which had drawn the golden coach .a young girl was riding upon it, with ashining red cap on her head, and pistols in her belt . it was_the little robber- maiden, who had got tired of staying at home; she was going first to_the north, and if_that did_not suit her, she meant to_try some other part of_the world . she knew Gerda directly, and Gerda remembered her: it_was a joyful meeting .

" you_are a fine fellow to_go gadding about in_this_way," said she to little Kay, " i_should like to_know whether you deserve that any_one should go to_the end of_the world to_find you ."

but Gerda patted her cheeks, and asked after_the prince and princess .

" they_are gone to foreign countries," said the robber- girl .

" and_the crow ? " asked Gerda .

"Oh, the crow is dead," she replied; " his tame sweetheart is now a widow, and wears a bit of black worsted round her leg . she mourns very pitifully, but it_is all stuff . but now tell me how you managed to_get him back ."

then Gerda and Kay told her all about_it .

" snip, snap, snare ! it's all right at last," said the robber- girl .

then she took both their hands, and promised that if ever she should pass through_the town, she_would call and pay them a visit . and then she rode away into_the wide world . but Gerda and Kay went hand- in- hand towards home; and as_they advanced, spring appeared more lovely with its green verdure and its beautiful flowers . very_soon they recognized the large town where they lived, and_the tall steeples of_the churches, in_which_the sweet bells were ringing a merry peal as_they entered it, and found their way to_their grandmother's door . they went upstairs into_the little room, where all looked just as it used to_do . the old clock was going " tick, tick," and_the hands pointed to_the time of day, but as_they passed through_the door into_the room they perceived that_they were both grown up, and become a man and woman . the roses out on_the roof were in full bloom, and peeped in at_the window; and there stood the little chairs, on_which they had sat when children; and Kay and Gerda seated themselves each on their own chair, and held each_other by_the hand, while the cold empty grandeur of_the snow queen's palace vanished from their memories like a painful dream . the grandmother sat in god's bright sunshine, and she read aloud from_the Bible, " except ye become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into_the kingdom of god ." and Kay and Gerda looked into each_other's eyes, and all at once understood the words of_the old song,

"Roses bloom and cease to_be, but we_shall the Christ- child see ."

and_they both sat there, grown up, yet children at heart; and it_was summer,- warm, beautiful summer .

the end

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