The Pink Fairy Book, part 10 · page 21 2101In the middle of the great hall was a frozen lake which had cracked in a thousand pieces; each piece was exactly like the other.102Here the Snow-queen used to sit when she was at home.103Little Kay was almost blue and black with cold, but he did not feel it, for she had kissed away his feelings and his heart was a lump of ice.104He was pulling about some sharp, flat pieces of ice, and trying to fit one into the other.105He thought each was most beautiful, but that was because of the splinter of glass in his eye.106He fitted them into a great many shapes, but he wanted to make them spell the word ‘Love.’107The Snow-queen had said, ‘If you can spell out that word you shalt be your own master.108I will give you the whole world and a new pair of skates.’109But he could not do it.110‘Now I must fly to warmer countries,’ said the Snow-queen.111‘I must go and powder my black kettles!’112(This was what she called Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius.)113‘It does the lemons and grapes good.’114And off she flew, and Kay sat alone in the great hall trying to do his puzzle.115He sat so still that you would have thought he was frozen.116Then it happened that little Gerda stepped into the hall.117The biting cold winds became quiet as if they had fallen asleep when she appeared in the great, empty, freezing hall.118She caught sight of Kay; she recognised him, and ran and put her arms round his neck, crying, ‘Kay! dear little Kay!119I have found you at last!’120But he sat quite still and cold.121Then Gerda wept hot tears which fell on his neck and thawed his heart and swept away the bit of the looking-glass.122He looked at her and then he burst into tears.123He cried so much that the glass splinter swam out of his eye; then he knew her, and cried out, ‘Gerda! dear little Gerda!124Where have you been so long? and where have I been?’125And he looked round him.126‘How cold it is here!127How wide and empty!’ and he threw himself on Gerda, and she laughed and wept for joy.128It was such a happy time that the pieces of ice even danced round them for joy, and when they were tired and lay down again they formed themselves into the letters that the Snow-queen had said he must spell in order to become his own master and have the whole world and a new pair of skates.129And Gerda kissed his cheeks and they grew rosy; she kissed his eyes and they sparkled like hers; she kissed his hands and feet and he became warm and glowing.130The Snow-queen might come home now; his release--the word ‘Love’--stood written in sparkling ice.131They took each other’s hands and wandered out of the great palace; they talked about the grandmother and the roses on the leads, wherever they came the winds hushed and the sun came out.132When they reached the bush with red berries there stood the reindeer waiting for them.133He carried Kay and Gerda first to the Finland woman, who warmed them in her hot room and gave them advice for their journey home.134Then they went to the Lapland woman, who gave them new clothes and mended their sleigh.135The reindeer ran with them until they came to the green fields fresh with the spring green.136Here he said good-bye.137They came to the forest, which was bursting into bud, and out of it came a splendid horse which Gerda knew; it was the one which had drawn the gold coach ridden by a young girl with a red cap on and pistols in her belt.138It was the little robber girl who was tired of being at home and wanted to go out into the world.139She and Gerda knew each other at once.140‘You are a nice fellow!’ she said to Kay.141‘I should like to know if you deserve to be run all over the world!’142But Gerda patted her cheeks and asked after the prince and princess.143‘They are travelling about,’ said the robber girl.144‘And the crow?’ asked Gerda.145‘Oh, the crow is dead!’ answered the robber-girl.146‘His tame sweetheart is a widow and hops about with a bit of black crape round her leg.147She makes a great fuss, but that’s all nonsense.148But tell me what happened to you, and how you caught him.’149And Kay and Gerda told her all.150‘Dear, dear!’ said the robber-girl, shook both their hands, and promised that if she came to their town she would come and see them.151Then she rode on.152But Gerda and Kay went home hand in hand.153There they found the grandmother and everything just as it had been, but when they went through the doorway they found they were grown-up.154There were the roses on the leads; it was summer, warm, glorious summer.155The Fir-tree156Translated from the German of Hans Christian Andersen.157There was once a pretty little fir-tree in a wood.158It was in a capital position, for it could get sun, and there was enough air, and all around grew many tall companions, both pines and firs.159It did not heed the warm sun and the fresh air, or notice the little peasant children who ran about chattering when they came out to gather wild strawberries and raspberries.160Often they found a whole basketful and strung strawberries on a straw; they would sit down by the little fir-tree and say, ‘What a pretty little one this is!’161The tree did not like that at all.1 2← previousThe Pink Fairy Book, part 9next →The Pink Fairy Book, part 11↑ back to The Pink Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/10/page/2/