the snow queen in seven stories-第2章

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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　had

forgotten　little　Gerda；　his　grandmother；　and　all　at　home。

　　　　〃Now　you　must　have　no　more　kisses；〃　she　said；　〃or　I　should　kiss

you　to　death。〃

　　　　Kay　looked　at　her；　and　saw　that　she　was　so　beautiful；　he　could　not

imagine　a　more　lovely　and　intelligent　face；　she　did　not　now　seem　to　be

made　of　ice；　as　when　he　had　seen　her　through　his　window；　and　she　had

nodded　to　him。　In　his　eyes　she　was　perfect；　and　she　did　not　feel　at

all　afraid。　He　told　her　he　could　do　mental　arithmetic；　as　far　as

fractions；　and　that　he　knew　the　number　of　square　miles　and　the

number　of　inhabitants　in　the　country。　And　she　always　smiled　so　that　he

thought　he　did　not　know　enough　yet；　and　she　looked　round　the　vast

expanse　as　she　flew　higher　and　higher　with　him　upon　a　black　cloud；

while　the　storm　blew　and　howled　as　if　it　were　singing　old　songs。

They　flew　over　woods　and　lakes；　over　sea　and　land；　below　them　roared

the　wild　wind；　the　wolves　howled　and　the　snow　crackled；　over　them　flew

the　black　screaming　crows；　and　above　all　shone　the　moon；　clear　and

bright；…　and　so　Kay　passed　through　the　long　winter's　night；　and　by　day

he　slept　at　the　feet　of　the　Snow　Queen。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THIRD　STORY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FLOWER　GARDEN　OF　THE　WOMAN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHO　COULD　CONJURE



　　　　But　how　fared　little　Gerda　during　Kay's　absence？　What　had　become

of　him；　no　one　knew；　nor　could　any　one　give　the　slightest　information；

excepting　the　boys；　who　said　that　he　had　tied　his　sledge　to　another

very　large　one；　which　had　driven　through　the　street；　and　out　at　the

town　gate。　Nobody　knew　where　it　went；　many　tears　were　shed　for　him；

and　little　Gerda　wept　bitterly　for　a　long　time。　She　said　she　knew　he

must　be　dead；　that　he　was　drowned　in　the　river　which　flowed　close　by

the　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。

　　　　〃He　is　dead　and　gone；〃　she　said　to　the　sparrows。

　　　　〃We　don't　believe　it；〃　they　replied；　and　at　last　little　Gerda

began　to　doubt　it　herself。　〃I　will　put　on　my　new　red　shoes；〃　she

said　one　morning；　〃those　that　Kay　has　never　seen；　and　then　I　will　go

down　to　the　river；　and　ask　for　him。〃　It　was　quite　early　when　she

kissed　her　old　grandmother；　who　was　still　asleep；　then　she　put　on

her　red　shoes；　and　went　quite　alone　out　of　the　town　gates　toward　the

river。　〃Is　it　true　that　you　have　taken　my　little　playmate　away　from

me？〃　said　she　to　the　river。　〃I　will　give　you　my　red　shoes　if　you

will　give　him　back　to　me。〃　And　it　seemed　as　if　the　waves　nodded　to　her

in　a　strange　manner。　Then　she　took　off　her　red　shoes；　which　she

liked　better　than　anything　else；　and　threw　them　both　into　the　river；

but　they　fell　near　the　bank；　and　the　little　waves　carried　them　back　to

the　land；　just　as　if　the　river　would　not　take　from　her　what　she

loved　best；　because　they　could　not　give　her　back　little　Kay。　But　she

thought　the　shoes　had　not　been　thrown　out　far　enough。　Then　she　crept

into　a　boat　that　lay　among　the　reeds；　and　threw　the　shoes　again　from

the　farther　end　of　the　boat　into　the　water；　but　it　was　not　fastened。

And　her　movement　sent　it　gliding　away　from　the　land。　When　she　saw　this

she　hastened　to　reach　the　end　of　the　boat；　but　before　she　could　so

it　was　more　than　a　yard　from　the　bank；　and　drifting　away　faster　than

ever。　Then　little　Gerda　was　very　much　frightened；　and　began　to　cry；

but　no　one　heard　her　except　the　sparrows；　and　they　could　not　carry　her

to　land；　but　they　flew　along　by　the　shore；　and　sang；　as　if　to

comfort　her；　〃Here　we　are！　Here　we　are！〃　The　boat　floated　with　the

stream；　little　Gerda　sat　quite　still　with　only　her　stockings　on　her

feet；　the　red　shoes　floated　after　her；　but　she　could　not　reach　them

because　the　boat　kept　so　much　in　advance。　The　banks　on　each　side　of

the　river　were　very　pretty。　There　were　beautiful　flowers；　old　trees；

sloping　fields；　in　which　cows　and　sheep　were　grazing；　but　not　a　man　to

be　seen。　Perhaps　the　river　will　carry　me　to　little　Kay；　thought　Gerda；

and　then　she　became　more　cheerful；　and　raised　her　head；　and　looked

at　the　beautiful　green　banks；　and　so　the　boat　sailed　on　for　hours。

At　length　she　came　to　a　large　cherry　orchard；　in　which　stood　a　small

red　house　with　strange　red　and　blue　windows。　It　had　also　a　thatched

roof；　and　outside　were　two　wooden　soldiers；　that　presented　arms　to　her

as　she　sailed　past。　Gerda　called　out　to　them；　for　she　thought　they

were　alive；　but　of　course　they　did　not　answer；　and　as　the　boat　drifted

nearer　to　the　shore；　she　saw　what　they　really　were。　Then　Gerda

called　still　louder；　and　there　came　a　very　old　woman　out　of　the　house；

leaning　on　a　crutch。　She　wore　a　large　hat　to　shade　her　from　the　sun；

and　on　it　were　painted　all　sorts　of　pretty　flowers。　〃You　poor　little

child；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃how　did　you　manage　to　come　all　this

distance　into　the　wide　world　on　such　a　rapid　rolling　stream？〃　And　then

the　old　woman　walked　in　the　water；　seized　the　boat　with　her　crutch；

drew　it　to　land；　and　lifted　Gerda　out。　And　Gerda　was　glad　to　feel

herself　on　dry　ground；　although　she　was　rather　afraid　of　the　strange

old　woman。　〃Come　and　tell　me　who　you　are；〃　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　had　not　seen　little　Kay；　and　the　old　woman　told　her　he　had　not

passed　by　that　way；　but　he　very　likely　would　come。　So　she　told　Gerda

not　to　be　sorrowful；　but　to　taste　the　cherries　and　look　at　the

flowers；　they　were　better　than　any　picture…book；　for　each　of　them

could　tell　a　story。　Then　she　took　Gerda　by　the　hand　and　led　her　into

the　little　house；　and　the　old　woman　closed　the　door。　The　windows

were　very　high；　and　as　the　panes　were　red；　blue；　and　yellow；　the

daylight　shone　through　them　in　all　sorts　of　singular　colors。　On　the

table　stood　beautiful　cherries；　and　Gerda　had　permission　to　eat　as

many　as　she　would。　While　she　was　eating　them　the　old　woman　combed

out　her　long　flaxen　ringlets　with　a　golden　comb；　and　the　glossy

curls　hung　down　on　each　side　of　the　little　round　pleasant　face；

which　looked　fresh　and　blooming　as　a　rose。　〃I　have　long　been　wishing

for　a　dear　little　maiden　like　you；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃and　now　you

must　stay　with　me；　and　see　how　happily　we　shall　live　together。〃　And

while　she　went　on　combing　little　Gerda's　hair；　she　thought　less　and

less　about　her　adopted　brother　Kay；　for　the　old　woman　could　conjure；

although　she　was　not　a　wicked　witch；　she　conjured　only　a　little　for

her　own　amusement；　and　now；　because　she　wanted　to　keep　Gerda。

Therefore　she　went　into　the　garden；　and　stretched　out　her　crutch

towards　all　the　rose…trees；　beautiful　though　they　were；　and　they

immediately　sunk　into　the　dark　earth；　so　that　no　one　could　tell

where　they　had　once　stood。　The　old　woman　was　afraid　that　if　little

Gerda　saw　roses　she　would　think　of　those　at　home；　and　then　remember

little　Kay；　and　run　away。　Then　she　took　Gerda　into　the

flower…garden。　How　fragrant　and　beautiful　it　was！　Every　flower　that

could　be　thought　of　for　every　season　of　the　year　was　here　in　full

bloom；　no　picture…book　could　have　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　a　queen　on　her　wedding　day。　The　next　day；　and　for　many

days　after；　Gerda　played　with　the　flowers　in　the　warm　sunshine。　She

knew　every　flower；　and　yet；　although　there　were　so　many　of　them；　it

seemed　as　if　one　were　missing；　but　which　it　was　she　could　not　tell。

One　day；　however；　as　she　sat　looking　at　the　old　woman's　hat　with　the

painted　flowers　on　it；　she　saw　that　the　prettiest　of　them　all　was　a

rose。　The　old　woman　had　forgotten　to　take　it　from　her　hat　when　she

made　all　the　roses　sink　into　the　earth。　But　it　is　difficult　to　keep

the　thoughts　together　in　everything；　one　little　mistake　upsets　all　our

arrangements。

　　　　〃What；　are　there　no　roses　here？〃　cried　Gerda；　and　she　ran　out　into

the　garden；　and　examined　all　the　beds；　and　searched　and　searched。

There　was　not　one　to　be　found。　Then　she　sat　down　and　wept；　and　her

tears　fell　just　on　the　place　where　one　of　the　rose…trees　had　sunk

down。　The　warm　tears　moistened　the　earth；　and　the　rose…tree　sprouted

up　at　once；　as　blooming　as　when　it　had　sunk；　and　Gerda　embraced　it　and

kissed　the　roses；　and　thought　of　the　beautiful　roses　at　home；　and；

with　them；　of　little　Kay。

　　　　〃Oh；　how　I　have　been　detained！〃　said　the　little　maiden；　〃I

wanted　to　seek　for　little　Kay。　Do　you　know　where　he　is？〃　she　asked　the

roses；　〃do　you　think　he　is　dead？〃

　　　　And　the　roses　answered；　〃No；　he　is　not　dead。　We　have　been　in　the

ground　where　all　the　dead　lie；　but　Kay　is　not　the