"Now listen," said the robber-girl; "all our men are gone away,- only mother is here, and here she will stay; but at noon she always drinks out of great bottle, and afterwards sleeps for little while; and then, I'll do something " Then she jumped out of bed, clasped her mother round the neck, and pulled her beard, crying, "My own little nanny goat, good morning " Then her mother filliped her nose till quite red; yet she did it all for love

mother had drunk bottle, and was gone to sleep, the little robber-maiden went reindeer, and said, " like to tickle your neck more with my knife, makes you look so funny; but never mind,- untie your cord, and set you free, run away to Lapland; but make good use of your legs, and carry this little maiden castle Snow Queen, where her play-fellow is heard what she told me, for she spoke loud enough, and you were listening "

Then the reindeer jumped for joy; little robber-girl lifted Gerda back, and had the forethought to tie her on, and even her her own little cushion to sit on

"Here are your fur boots ," said she; "for very cold; but keep the muff; so pretty However, you frozen want of it; here are my mother's large warm mittens; reach your elbows Let me put them on There, now your hands look just like my mother's "

But Gerda wept for joy

"I don't like you fret," said the little robber-girl; "you ought to look quite happy now; and here are two loaves and ham, not starve " These were fastened reindeer, and then the little robber-maiden opened the door, coaxed in all the great dogs, and then cut the string the reindeer was fastened, with her sharp knife, and said, "Now run, but mind you take good care little girl " And then Gerda stretched out her hand, great mitten , towards the little robber-girl, and said, "Farewell," and away flew the reindeer, over stumps and stones, great forest, over marshes and plains, as quickly as The wolves howled, ravens screamed; while up sky quivered red lights like flames of fire " my old northern lights," said the reindeer; "see how they flash " And he ran on day and night still faster and faster, but the loaves ham were all eaten they reached Lapland [edit]

Sixth Story: The Lapland Woman Finland Woman

They stopped at little hut; very mean looking; the roof sloped nearly down ground, door was so low family had to creep in on their hands and knees, went in and out no one at home but an old Lapland woman, who was cooking fish light of train-oil lamp The reindeer told her all about Gerda's story, after having first told his own, which seemed to him the most important, but Gerda was so pinched cold that speak "Oh, you poor things," said the Lapland woman, " long way yet travel more than hundred miles farther, to Finland The Snow Queen lives there now, and she burns Bengal lights every evening write few words on dried stock-fish, for no paper, and take it from me Finland woman who lives there; better information than " So when Gerda was warmed, and had taken something to eat and drink, the woman wrote few words dried fish, and told Gerda great care of it Then she tied her again reindeer, and he set off at full speed Flash, flash, went the beautiful blue northern lights air the whole night long And they reached Finland, and knocked chimney Finland woman's hut, had no door above the ground They crept in, but so terribly hot inside that that woman wore scarcely any clothes; she was small and very dirty looking She loosened little Gerda's dress, and took off the fur boots mittens, or Gerda unable to bear the heat; and then she placed piece of ice reindeer's head, and read written dried fish After she had read it three times, she knew it by heart, so she popped the fish soup saucepan, as she knew good to eat, and she never wasted anything The reindeer told his own story first, and then little Gerda's, Finlander twinkled with her clever eyes, but she said nothing " so clever," said the reindeer; " tie all the winds world with piece of twine If sailor unties one knot, he has fair wind; when he unties the second, it blows hard; but third and fourth are loosened, then comes 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; " of very little use " But she went to shelf and took down and unrolled large skin, 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 Finland woman beseeching tearful eyes, that her own eyes began to twinkle again; so she drew the reindeer into corner, and whispered to him while she laid fresh piece of ice head, "Little Kay is really Snow Queen, but he finds everything there taste liking, that he believes finest place ; but because he has piece of broken glass heart, and little piece of glass eye These taken out, or never be human being again, Snow Queen will retain her power over him "

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

" give her no greater power than she has already," said the woman; "don't how strong ? How men and animals are obliged her, and how well she has got world, barefooted as receive any power from me greater than she now has, which consists in her own purity and innocence of heart If herself obtain access Snow Queen, and remove the glass fragments from little Kay, do nothing to help her Two miles from here the Snow Queen's garden begins; carry the little girl , and set her down large bush which stands snow, covered with red berries stay gossiping, but come back here as quickly " Then the Finland woman lifted little Gerda reindeer, and he ran away with her as quickly as

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

There stood poor Gerda, without shoes, without gloves, midst of cold, dreary, ice-bound Finland She ran forwards as quickly as , when whole regiment of snow-flakes came round her; , however, fall sky, quite clear and glittering northern lights The snow-flakes ran along the ground, nearer they came to her, the larger they appeared Gerda remembered how large and beautiful they looked burning-glass But these were really larger, and much more terrible, for they were alive, and were the guards 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, cold was so great that she 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 Gerda had finished her prayers, whole legion stood round her They thrust their spears terrible snow-flakes, so shivered into hundred pieces, and little Gerda could go forward with courage and safety The angels stroked her hands and feet, she felt the cold less, and she hastened on Snow Queen's castle

But now see what Kay is doing In truth he thought not of little Gerda, and never supposed be standing front palace

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Seventh Story: Palace Snow Queen and What Happened There at Last

The walls palace were formed of drifted snow, windows and doors cutting winds There were more than hundred rooms , all as formed with snow blown together The largest extended for several miles; they were all lighted up vivid light aurora, were so large and empty, so icy cold and glittering ! There were no amusements here, not even little bear's ball, storm the music, bears danced on their hind legs, and shown their good manners There were no pleasant games of snap-dragon, or touch, or even gossip over the tea-table, young-lady foxes Empty, vast, and cold were the halls Snow Queen The flickering flame northern lights plainly seen, whether they rose high or low heavens, from every part castle midst empty, endless hall of snow was frozen lake, broken on its surface into thousand forms; each piece resembled another, from being in itself perfect as work of art, and centre lake sat the Snow Queen, when she was at home She called the lake "The Mirror of Reason," and said the best, and indeed the