The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]
the snow queen

in Seven Stories

by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H .P .Paull (1872)

Contents

1 story the first
2 second story: a little boy and a little girl
3 third story: the flower garden of_the woman who_could conjure
4 fourth story: the prince and princess
5 Fifth story: little robber- girl
6 sixth story: the Lapland woman and_the Finland woman
7 Seventh story: of_the palace of_the snow queen and what happened there at last

story the first

which describes a looking- glass and_the broken fragments .

you_must attend to_the commencement of_this story, for when we get to_the end we_shall know more than we_do now about a very wicked hobgoblin; he_was one_of_the very worst, for he_was a real demon . one day, when he_was in a merry mood, he_made a looking- glass which had the power of making everything good or beautiful that was reflected in_it almost shrink to nothing, while everything that was worthless and bad looked increased in size and worse than ever . the most lovely landscapes appeared like boiled spinach, and_the people became hideous, and looked as if_they stood on their heads and had no bodies . their countenances were so distorted that no one could recognize them, and even one freckle on_the face appeared to spread over the whole of_the nose and mouth . the demon said this_was very amusing . when a good or pious thought passed through_the mind of any_one it_was misrepresented in_the glass; and then how the demon laughed at his cunning invention . all who went to_the demon's school- for he kept a school- talked everywhere of_the wonders they had seen, and declared that people could now, for_the first time, see what the world and mankind were really like . they carried the glass about everywhere, till at last there_was not a land nor a people who had_not_been looked at through_this distorted mirror . they wanted even to fly with it up_to heaven to_see the angels, but the higher they flew the more slippery the glass became, and they_could scarcely hold it, till at last it slipped from their hands, fell to_the earth, and was broken into millions of pieces . but now the looking- glass caused more unhappiness than ever, for some_of_the fragments were_not so large as a grain of sand, and_they flew about_the world into every country . when one_of_these tiny atoms flew into a person's eye, it stuck there unknown to him, and from_that moment he_saw everything through a distorted medium, or could_see only the worst side of what he looked at, for even the smallest fragment retained the same power which had belonged to_the whole mirror . some few persons even got a fragment of_the looking- glass in their hearts, and this_was very terrible, for their hearts became cold like a lump of ice .a few of_the pieces were so large that they_could be used as window-panes; it would_have_been a sad thing to look at our friends through them . other pieces were made into spectacles; this_was dreadful for_those who wore them, for they_could see nothing either rightly or justly . at all this the wicked demon laughed till his sides shook- it tickled him so to_see the mischief he had done . there were still a number of_these little fragments of glass floating about in_the air, and now you shall hear what happened with one_of_them .[ edit]

second story: a little boy and a little girl

in a large town, full of houses and people, there_is not room for everybody to_have even a little garden, therefore they_are obliged to_be satisfied with a few flowers in flower-pots . in one_of_these large towns lived two poor children who had a garden something larger and better than a few flower-pots . they were_not brother and sister, but they loved each_other almost as_much as if_they had_been . their parents lived opposite to each_other in two garrets, where the roofs of neighboring houses projected out towards each_other and_the water- pipe ran between_them . in each house was a little window, so_that any_one could step across the gutter from one window to_the other . the parents of_these children had each a large wooden box in_which they cultivated kitchen herbs for their own use, and a little rose- bush in each box, which grew splendidly . now after a while the parents decided to_place these two boxes across the water- pipe, so that_they reached from one window to_the other and looked like two banks of flowers . sweet-peas drooped over the boxes, and_the rose-bushes shot forth long branches, which were trained round the windows and clustered together almost like a triumphal arch of leaves and flowers . the boxes were very high, and_the children knew they_must not climb upon them, without permission, but they were often, however, allowed to step out together and sit upon their little stools under the rose-bushes, or play quietly . in winter all this pleasure came to an end, for_the windows were sometimes quite frozen over . but then they_would warm copper pennies on_the stove, and hold the warm pennies against the frozen pane; there would_be very_soon a little round hole through which they_could peep, and_the soft bright eyes of_the little boy and girl would beam through_the hole at each window as_they looked at each_other . their names were Kay and Gerda . in summer they_could be together with one jump from_the window, but in winter they had to_go up and down the long staircase, and out through_the snow before_they could meet .

" see there_are the white bees swarming," said Kay's old grandmother one day when it_was snowing .

" have they a queen bee ? " asked the little boy, for he_knew that_the real bees had a queen .

" to_be_sure they_have," said the grandmother ." she_is flying there where the swarm is thickest . she is_the largest of_them all, and never remains on_the earth, but flies up_to_the dark clouds . often at midnight she flies through_the streets of_the town, and looks in at_the windows, then the ice freezes on_the panes into wonderful shapes, that look like flowers and castles ."

" yes, I_have_seen them," said both the children, and_they knew it must_be true .

" can the snow queen come in here ? " asked the little girl .

" only let her come," said the boy, "I'll set her on_the stove and then she'll melt ."

then the grandmother smoothed his hair and told him some more tales . one evening, when little Kay was at home, half undressed, he climbed on a chair by_the window and peeped out through_the little hole .a few flakes of snow were falling, and one_of_them, rather larger than_the rest, alighted on_the edge of one_of_the flower boxes . this snow- flake grew larger and larger, till at last it became the figure of a woman, dressed in garments of white gauze, which looked like millions of starry snow-flakes linked together . she was fair and beautiful, but made of ice- shining and glittering ice . still she was alive and her eyes sparkled like bright stars, but there_was neither peace nor rest in their glance . she nodded towards the window and waved her hand . the little boy was frightened and sprang from_the chair; at_the same moment it seemed as_if a large bird flew by_the window . on_the following day there_was a clear frost, and very_soon came the spring . the sun shone; the young green leaves burst forth; the swallows built their nests; windows were opened, and_the children sat once more in_the garden on_the roof, high above all the other rooms . how beautiful the roses blossomed this summer . the little girl had learnt a hymn in_which roses were spoken of, and then she thought of_their own roses, and she sang the hymn to_the little boy, and he sang too:-

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

then the little ones held each_other by_the hand, and kissed the roses, and looked at_the bright sunshine, and spoke to_it as if_the Christ- child were there . those were splendid summer days . how beautiful and fresh it_was out among_the rose-bushes, which seemed as if_they_would never leave off blooming . one day Kay and Gerda sat looking at a book full of pictures of animals and birds, and then just as_the clock in_the church tower struck twelve, Kay said, "Oh, something has struck my heart ! " and soon after, " there_is something in my eye ."

the little girl put her arm round his neck, and looked into his eye, but she_could see nothing .

" i_think it_is gone," he_said . but it_was not gone; it_was one of_those bits of_the looking- glass- that magic mirror, of_which we_have spoken- the ugly glass which made everything great and good appear small and ugly, while all that was wicked and bad became more visible, and every little fault could_be plainly seen . poor little Kay had also received a small grain in_his heart, which very quickly turned to a lump of ice . he_felt no more pain, but the glass was there still ." why do_you cry ? " said he at last; " it makes you look ugly . there_is nothing the matter with me now .Oh, see ! " he cried suddenly, " that rose is worm- eaten, and this_one is quite crooked . after all they_are ugly roses, just like the box in_which they stand," and then he kicked the boxes with_his foot, and pulled off the two roses .

"Kay, what_are you doing ? " cried the little girl; and then, when he_saw how frightened she was, he tore off another rose, and jumped through his own window away from little Gerda .

when she afterwards brought out the picture book, he_said, " it_was only fit for babies in long clothes," and when grandmother told any stories, he_would interrupt her with " but;" or, when he_could manage it, he_would get behind her chair, put on a pair of spectacles, and imitate her very cleverly, to_make people laugh . by- and- by he began to mimic the speech and gait of persons in_the street . all that was peculiar or disagreeable in a person he_would imitate directly, and people said, " that boy will_be very clever; he has a remarkable genius ." but it was_the piece of glass in_his eye, and_the coldness in_his heart, that made him act like this . he_would even tease little Gerda, who loved him with all her heart . his games, too, were quite different; they were_not so childish . one winter's day, when it snowed, he brought out aburning- glass, then he held out the tail of_his blue coat, and let the snow-flakes fall upon it ." look in_this glass, Gerda," said he; and she saw how every flake of snow was magnified, and looked like a beautiful flower or aglittering star ." is_it not clever ? " said Kay, " and much more interesting than looking at real flowers . there_is not a single fault in_it, and_the snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt ."

soon after Kay made his appearance in large thick gloves, and with_his sledge at his back . he_called up stairs to Gerda, "I've got to leave to_go into_the great square, where the other boys play and ride ." and away he went .

in_the great square, the boldest among_the boys would often tie their sledges to_the country people's carts, and go with_them a good way . this_was capital . but while they were all amusing themselves, and Kay with_them, a great sledge came by; it_was painted white, and in_it sat some one wrapped in a rough white fur, and wearing a white cap . the sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay fastened his own little sledge to_it, so_that when it went away, he followed with it . it went faster and faster right through_the next street, and then the person who drove turned round and nodded pleasantly to Kay, just as if_they were acquainted with each_other, but whenever Kay wished to loosen his little sledge the driver nodded again, so Kay sat still, and_they drove out through_the town gate . then the snow began to_fall so heavily that_the little boy could_not_see a hand's breadth before him, but still they drove on; then he suddenly loosened the cord so that_the large sled might go on without him, but it_was of no use, his little carriage held fast, and away they went like the wind . then he_called out loudly, but nobody heard him, while the snow beat upon him, and_the sledge flew onwards . every now_and_then it gave a jump as_if it were going over hedges and ditches . the boy was frightened, and tried to_say a prayer, but he_could remember nothing but the multiplication table .

the snow-flakes became larger and larger, till they appeared like great white chickens . all at once they sprang on one side, the great sledge stopped, and_the person who had driven it rose up . the fur and_the cap, which were made entirely of snow, fell off, and he_saw a lady, tall and white, it was_the snow queen .

" we_have driven well," said she, " but why do_you tremble ? here, creep into my warm fur ." then she seated him beside her in_the sledge, and as she wrapped the fur round him he_felt as_if he were sinking into a snow drift .

" are_you still cold," she asked, as she kissed him on_the forehead . the kiss was colder than ice; it went quite through to_his heart, which_was already almost a lump of ice; he_felt as_if he were going to die, but only for a moment; he soon seemed quite well again, and did_not notice the cold around him .

" my sledge ! don't forget my sledge," was his first thought, and then he looked and saw that_it_was bound fast to one_of_the white chickens, which flew behind him with_the sledge at its back . the snow queen kissed little Kay again, and by_this_time he

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