even tease little Gerda, who loved him with all her heart
His games, too, were quite different; they
so childish
One winter's day, when it snowed, he brought out
burning-glass, then he held out the tail
blue coat, and let the snow-flakes fall upon it
"Look
glass, Gerda," said he; and she saw how every flake of snow was magnified, and looked like
beautiful flower or
glittering star
"
not clever ? " said Kay, "and much more interesting than looking at real flowers
not
single fault
,
snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt
" Soon after Kay made his appearance in large thick gloves, and
sledge at his back
up stairs to Gerda, "I've got to leave
great square, where the other boys play and ride
" And away he went

great square, the boldest
boys would often tie their sledges
country people's carts, and go
good way
capital
But while they were all amusing themselves, and Kay
,
great sledge came by;
painted white, and
sat some one wrapped in
rough white fur, and wearing
white cap
The sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay fastened his own little sledge
,
when it went away, he followed with it
It went faster and faster right
next street, and then the person who drove turned round and nodded pleasantly to Kay, just as
were acquainted with
, but whenever Kay wished to loosen his little sledge the driver nodded again, so Kay sat still,
drove out
town gate
Then the snow began
so heavily
little boy
hand's breadth before him, but still they drove on; then he suddenly loosened the cord so
large sled might go on without him, but
of no use, his little carriage held fast, and away they went like the wind
Then
out loudly, but nobody heard him, while the snow beat upon him,
sledge flew onwards
Every
it gave
jump
it were going over hedges and ditches
The boy was frightened, and tried
prayer, but
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,
person who had driven it rose up
The fur
cap, which were made entirely of snow, fell off, and
lady, tall and white, it
Snow Queen

"
driven well," said she, "but why
tremble ? here, creep into my warm fur
" Then she seated him beside her
sledge, and as she wrapped the fur round him
he were sinking into
snow drift

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

"My sledge ! don't forget my sledge," was his first thought, and then he looked and saw
bound fast to
white chickens, which flew behind him
sledge at its back
The Snow Queen kissed little Kay again, and
he had forgotten little Gerda, his grandmother, and all at home

"Now
no more kisses," she said, "or
kiss you to death
"
Kay looked at her, and saw that she was so beautiful,
imagine
more lovely and intelligent face; she
now
made of ice, as when he had seen her through his window, and she had nodded to him
eyes she was perfect, and she
feel at all afraid
her
do mental arithmetic, as far as fractions,
the number of square miles
number of inhabitants
country
And she always smiled
he thought
know enough yet, and she looked round the vast expanse as she flew higher and higher
upon
black cloud, while the storm blew and howled
it were singing old songs
They flew over woods and lakes, over sea and land; below them roared the wild wind; the wolves howled
snow crackled; over them flew the black screaming crows, and above all shone the moon, clear and bright,- and so Kay passed
long winter's night, and by day he slept
feet
Snow Queen

[edit]
Third Story: The Flower Garden
Woman
Conjure
But how fared little Gerda during Kay's absence ? What had become of him, no one knew, nor could
give the slightest information, excepting the boys, who said that he had tied his sledge to another very large one, which had driven
street, and out
town gate
Nobody knew where it went; many tears were shed for him, and little Gerda wept bitterly
She said she knew
dead; that
drowned
river which flowed close
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

"
dead and gone," she said
sparrows

"We don't believe it," they replied; and at last little Gerda began to doubt it herself
"
put on my new red shoes," she said one morning, "those that Kay has never seen, and then
go down
river, and ask for him
"
quite early when she kissed her old grandmother, who was still asleep; then she put on her red shoes, and went quite alone
town gates toward the river
"
true that
taken my little playmate away from me ? " said she
river
"
my red shoes
give him back
" And it seemed as
waves nodded to her in
strange manner
Then she took off her red shoes, which she liked better than anything else, and threw them both
river, but they fell near the bank,
little waves carried them back
land, just as
river
take from her what she loved best, because
give her back little Kay
But she thought the shoes
thrown out far enough
Then she crept into
boat that lay
reeds, and threw the shoes again
farther end
boat
water, but
not fastened
And her movement sent it gliding away
land
When she saw this she hastened to reach the end
boat, but before
so
more than
yard
bank, and drifting away faster than ever
Then little Gerda was
frightened, and began to cry, but no one heard her except the sparrows, and
carry her to land, but they flew along
shore, and sang,
to comfort her, "Here
! Here
! " The boat floated
stream; little Gerda sat quite still with only her stockings on her feet; the red shoes floated after her, but
reach them because the boat kept
in advance
The banks on each side
river were very pretty
There were beautiful flowers, old trees, sloping fields,
cows and sheep were grazing, but not
man
seen
Perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay, thought Gerda, and then she became more cheerful, and raised her head, and looked
beautiful green banks; and so the boat sailed on for hours
she came to
large cherry orchard,
stood
small red house with strange red and blue windows
It had also
thatched roof, and outside were two wooden soldiers, that presented arms to her as she sailed past
Gerda called out
, for she thought they were alive, but
answer; and
boat drifted nearer
shore, she saw what they really were
Then Gerda called still louder, and there came
very old woman
house, leaning on
crutch
She wore
large hat to shade her
sun, and
were painted all sorts of pretty flowers
"You poor little child," said the old woman, "how did you manage
all this distance
wide world
rapid rolling stream ? " And then the old woman walked
water, seized the boat with her crutch, drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out
And Gerda was glad
herself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid
strange old woman
"Come and tell me who
," 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
seen little Kay,
old woman told her he
passed
way, but he very likely would come
So she told Gerda not
sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look
flowers; they were better than any picture-book, for each
could tell
story
Then she took Gerda
hand and led her
little house,
old woman closed the door
The windows were very high, and
panes were red, blue, and yellow, the daylight shone through them in all sorts of singular colors
table stood beautiful cherries, and Gerda had permission to eat
as
While she was eating them the old woman combed out her long flaxen ringlets with
golden comb,
glossy curls hung down on each side
little round pleasant face, which looked fresh and blooming as
rose
"
long been wishing for
dear little maiden like you," said the old woman, "and now
stay with me,
how happily
live together
" And while she went on combing little Gerda's hair, she thought
about her adopted brother Kay,
old woman could conjure, although she was not
wicked witch; she conjured only
little for her own amusement, and now, because she wanted
Gerda
Therefore she went
garden, and stretched out her crutch towards all the rose-trees, beautiful though they were;
immediately sunk
dark earth,
no one could tell where they had once stood
The old woman was afraid that if little Gerda saw roses
think
at home, and then remember little Kay, and run away
Then she took Gerda
flower-garden
How fragrant and beautiful
! Every flower that
thought of for every season
year was here in full bloom; no picture-book
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
queen on her wedding day
The
, and for many days after, Gerda played
flowers
warm sunshine