The Snow Queen, part 2 · page 21 2101What do the Hyacinths say?102“There were once upon a time three sisters, quite transparent, and very beautiful.103The robe of the one was red, that of the second blue, and that of the third white.104They danced hand in hand beside the calm lake in the clear moonshine.105They were not elfin maidens, but mortal children.106A sweet fragrance was smelt, and the maidens vanished in the wood; the fragrance grew stronger--three coffins, and in them three lovely maidens, glided out of the forest and across the lake: the shining glow-worms flew around like little floating lights.107Do the dancing maidens sleep, or are they dead?108The odour of the flowers says they are corpses; the evening bell tolls for the dead!”109“You make me quite sad,” said little Gerda.110“I cannot help thinking of the dead maidens.111Oh! is little Kay really dead?112The Roses have been in the earth, and they say no.”113“Ding, dong!” sounded the Hyacinth bells.114“We do not toll for little Kay; we do not know him.115That is our way of singing, the only one we have.”116And Gerda went to the Ranunculuses, that looked forth from among the shining green leaves.117“You are a little bright sun!” said Gerda.118“Tell me if you know where I can find my playfellow.”119And the Ranunculus shone brightly, and looked again at Gerda.120What song could the Ranunculus sing?121It was one that said nothing about Kay either.122“In a small court the bright sun was shining in the first days of spring.123The beams glided down the white walls of a neighbor's house, and close by the fresh yellow flowers were growing, shining like gold in the warm sun-rays.124An old grandmother was sitting in the air; her grand-daughter, the poor and lovely servant just come for a short visit.125She knows her grandmother.126There was gold, pure virgin gold in that blessed kiss.127There, that is my little story,” said the Ranunculus.128“My poor old grandmother!” sighed Gerda.129“Yes, she is longing for me, no doubt: she is sorrowing for me, as she did for little Kay.130But I will soon come home, and then I will bring Kay with me.checked by a teacher131It is of no use asking the flowers; they only know their own old rhymes, and can tell me nothing.”132And she tucked up her frock, to enable her to run quicker; but the Narcissus gave her a knock on the leg, just as she was going to jump over it.133So she stood still, looked at the long yellow flower, and asked, “You perhaps know something?” and she bent down to the Narcissus.134And what did it say?135“I can see myself--I can see myself!136Oh, how odorous I am!137Up in the little garret there stands, half-dressed, a little Dancer.138She stands now on one leg, now on both; she despises the whole world; yet she lives only in imagination.139She pours water out of the teapot over a piece of stuff which she holds in her hand; it is the bodice; cleanliness is a fine thing.140The white dress is hanging on the hook; it was washed in the teapot, and dried on the roof.141She puts it on, ties a saffron-colored kerchief round her neck, and then the gown looks whiter.142I can see myself--I can see myself!”143“That's nothing to me,” said little Gerda.144“That does not concern me.”145And then off she ran to the further end of the garden.146The gate was locked, but she shook the rusted bolt till it was loosened, and the gate opened; and little Gerda ran off barefooted into the wide world.147She looked round her thrice, but no one followed her.148At last she could run no longer; she sat down on a large stone, and when she looked about her, she saw that the summer had passed; it was late in the autumn, but that one could not remark in the beautiful garden, where there was always sunshine, and where there were flowers the whole year round.1 2← previousThe Snow Queen, part 1next →The Snow Queen, part 3↑ back to Andersen's Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg1597/12/page/2/