the snow queen in seven stories-第2节

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and　then　he　kicked　the　boxes　with　his　foot；　and　pulled　off　the　two

roses。

　　　　〃Kay；　what　are　you　doing？〃　cried　the　little　girl；　and　then；　when

he　saw　how　frightened　she　was；　he　tore　off　another　rose；　and　jumped

through　his　own　window　away　from　little　Gerda。

　　　　When　she　afterwards　brought　out　the　picture　book；　he　said；　〃It　was

only　fit　for　babies　in　long　clothes；〃　and　when　grandmother　told　any

stories；　he　would　interrupt　her　with　〃but；〃　or；　when　he　could　manage

it；　he　would　get　behind　her　chair；　put　on　a　pair　of　spectacles；　and

imitate　her　very　cleverly；　to　make　people　laugh。　By…and…by　he　began　to

mimic　the　speech　and　gait　of　persons　in　the　street。　All　that　was

peculiar　or　disagreeable　in　a　person　he　would　imitate　directly；　and

people　said；　〃That　boy　will　be　very　clever；　he　has　a　remarkable

genius。〃　But　it　was　the　piece　of　glass　in　his　eye；　and　the　coldness　in

his　heart；　that　made　him　act　like　this。　He　would　even　tease　little

Gerda；　who　loved　him　with　all　her　heart。　His　games；　too；　were　quite

different；　they　were　not　so　childish。　One　winter's　day；　when　it

snowed；　he　brought　out　a　burning…glass；　then　he　held　out　the　tail　of

his　blue　coat；　and　let　the　snow…flakes　fall　upon　it。　〃Look　in　this

glass；　Gerda；〃　said　he；　and　she　saw　how　every　flake　of　snow　was

magnified；　and　looked　like　a　beautiful　flower　or　a　glittering　star。

〃Is　it　not　clever？〃　said　Kay；　〃and　much　more　interesting　than

looking　at　real　flowers。　There　is　not　a　single　fault　in　it；　and　the

snow…flakes　are　quite　perfect　till　they　begin　to　melt。〃

　　　　Soon　after　Kay　made　his　appearance　in　large　thick　gloves；　and　with

his　sledge　at　his　back。　He　called　up　stairs　to　Gerda；　〃I've　got　to

leave　to　go　into　the　great　square；　where　the　other　boys　play　and

ride。〃　And　away　he　went。

　　　　In　the　great　square；　the　boldest　among　the　boys　would　often　tie

their　sledges　to　the　country　people's　carts；　and　go　with　them　a　good

way。　This　was　capital。　But　while　they　were　all　amusing　themselves；　and

Kay　with　them；　a　great　sledge　came　by；　it　was　painted　white；　and　in　it

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