The Pink Fairy Book, part 9 · page 21 2101‘And, not one bit afraid, up he went to the princess, who was sitting on a large pearl as round as a spinning wheel.102All the ladies-in-waiting were standing round, each with their attendants, and the lords-in-waiting with their attendants.103The nearer they stood to the door the prouder they were.’104‘It must have been dreadful!’ said little Gerda.105‘And Kay did win the princess?’106‘I heard from my tame sweetheart that he was merry and quick-witted; he had not come to woo, he said, but to listen to the princess’s wisdom.107And the end of it was that they fell in love with each other.’108‘Oh, yes; that was Kay!’ said Gerda.109‘He was so clever; he could do sums with fractions.110Oh, do lead me to the palace!’111‘That’s easily said!’ answered the crow, ‘but how are we to manage that?112I must talk it over with my tame sweetheart.113She may be able to advise us, for I must tell you that a little girl like you could never get permission to enter it.’114‘Yes, I will get it!’ said Gerda.115‘When Kay hears that I am there he will come out at once and fetch me!’116‘Wait for me by the railings,’ said the crow, and he nodded his head and flew away.117It was late in the evening when he came back.118‘Caw, caw!’ he said, ‘I am to give you her love, and here is a little roll for you.119She took it out of the kitchen; there’s plenty there, and you must be hungry.120You cannot come into the palace.121The guards in silver and the footmen in gold would not allow it.122But don’t cry!123You shall get in all right.124My sweetheart knows a little back-stairs which leads to the sleeping-room, and she knows where to find the key.’125They went into the garden, and when the lights in the palace were put out one after the other, the crow led Gerda to a back-door.126Oh, how Gerda’s heart beat with anxiety and longing!127It seemed as if she were going to do something wrong, but she only wanted to know if it were little Kay.128Yes, it must be he!129She remembered so well his clever eyes, his curly hair.130She could see him smiling as he did when they were at home under the rose trees!131He would be so pleased to see her, and to hear how they all were at home.132Now they were on the stairs; a little lamp was burning, and on the landing stood the tame crow.133She put her head on one side and looked at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother had taught her.134‘My betrothed has told me many nice things about you, my dear young lady,’ she said.135‘Will you take the lamp while I go in front?136We go this way so as to meet no one.’137Through beautiful rooms they came to the sleeping-room.138In the middle of it, hung on a thick rod of gold, were two beds, shaped like lilies, one all white, in which lay the princess, and the other red, in which Gerda hoped to find Kay.139She pushed aside the curtain, and saw a brown neck.140Oh, it was Kay!141She called his name out loud, holding the lamp towards him.142He woke up, turned his head and--it was not Kay!143It was only his neck that was like Kay’s, but he was young and handsome.144The princess sat up in her lily-bed and asked who was there.145Then Gerda cried, and told her story and all that the crows had done.146‘You poor child!’ said the prince and princess, and they praised the crows, and said that they were not angry with them, but that they must not do it again.147Now they should have a reward.148‘Would you like to fly away free?’ said the princess, ‘or will you have a permanent place as court crows with what you can get in the kitchen?’149And both crows bowed and asked for a permanent appointment, for they thought of their old age.150And they put Gerda to bed, and she folded her hands, thinking, as she fell asleep, ‘How good people and animals are to me!’151The next day she was dressed from head to foot in silk and satin.152They wanted her to stay on in the palace, but she begged for a little carriage and a horse, and a pair of shoes so that she might go out again into the world to look for Kay.153They gave her a muff as well as some shoes; she was warmly dressed, and when she was ready, there in front of the door stood a coach of pure gold, with a coachman, footmen and postilions with gold crowns on.154The prince and princess helped her into the carriage and wished her good luck.155The wild crow who was now married drove with her for the first three miles; the other crow could not come because she had a bad headache.156‘Good-bye, good-bye!’ called the prince and princess; and little Gerda cried, and the crow cried.1 2← previousThe Pink Fairy Book, part 8next →The Pink Fairy Book, part 10↑ back to The Pink Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/9/page/2/