the snow queen in seven stories-第4节

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the　lips　of　the　maiden。　There；　that　is　my　story；〃　said　the　buttercup。

　　　　〃My　poor　old　grandmother！〃　sighed　Gerda；　〃she　is　longing　to　see

me；　and　grieving　for　me　as　she　did　for　little　Kay；　but　I　shall　soon　go

home　now；　and　take　little　Kay　with　me。　It　is　no　use　asking　the

flowers；　they　know　only　their　own　songs；　and　can　give　me　no

information。〃

　　　　And　then　she　tucked　up　her　little　dress；　that　she　might　run

faster；　but　the　narcissus　caught　her　by　the　leg　as　she　was　jumping

over　it；　so　she　stopped　and　looked　at　the　tall　yellow　flower；　and

said；　〃Perhaps　you　may　know　something。〃

　　　　Then　she　stooped　down　quite　close　to　the　flower；　and　listened；　and

what　did　he　say？

　　　　〃I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself；〃　said　the　narcissus。　〃Oh；　how

sweet　is　my　perfume！　Up　in　a　little　room　with　a　bow　window；　stands　a

little　dancing　girl；　half　undressed；　she　stands　sometimes　on　one

leg；　and　sometimes　on　both；　and　looks　as　if　she　would　tread　the

whole　world　under　her　feet。　She　is　nothing　but　a　delusion。　She　is

pouring　water　out　of　a　tea…pot　on　a　piece　of　stuff　which　she　holds

in　her　hand；　it　is　her　bodice。　'Cleanliness　is　a　good　thing；'　she

says。　Her　white　dress　hangs　on　a　peg；　it　has　also　been　washed　in　the

tea…pot；　and　dried　on　the　roof。　She　puts　it　on；　and　ties　a

saffron…colored　handkerchief　round　her　neck；　which　makes　the　dress

look　whiter。　See　how　she　stretches　out　her　legs；　as　if　she　were

showing　off　on　a　stem。　I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself。〃

　　　　〃What　do　I　care　for　all　that；〃　said　Gerda；　〃you　need　not　tell　me

such　stuff。〃　And　then　she　ran　to　the　other　end　of　the　garden。　The　door

was　fastened；　but　she　pressed　against　the　rusty　latch；　and　it　gave

way。　The　door　sprang　open；　and　little　Gerda　ran　out　with　bare　feet

into　the　wide　world。　She　looked　back　three　times；　but　no　one　seemed　to

be　following　her。　At　last　she　could　run　no　longer；　so　she　sat　down

to　rest　on　a　great　stone；　and　when　she　looked　round　she　saw　that　the

summer　was　over；　and　autumn　very　far　advanced。　She　had　known　nothing

of　this　in　the　beautiful　garden；　where　the　sun　shone　and　the　flowers

grew　all　the　year　round。

　　　　〃Oh；　how　I　have　wasted　my　time？〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃it　is　autumn。

I　must　not　rest　any　longer；〃　and　she　rose　up　to　go　on。　But　her

little　feet　were　wounded　and　sore；　and　everything　around　her　looked　so

cold　and　bleak。　The　long　willow…leaves　were　quite　yellow。　The

dew…drops　fell　like　water；　leaf　after　leaf　dropped　from　the　trees；　the

sloe…thorn　alone　still　bore　fruit；　but　the　sloes　were　sour；　and　set

the　teeth　on　edge。　Oh；　how　dark　and　weary　the　whole　world　appeared！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FOURTH　STORY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　PRINCE　AND　PRINCESS



　　　　Gerda　was　obliged　to　rest　again；　and　just　opposite　the　place　where

she　sat；　she　saw　a　great　crow　come　hopping　across　the　snow　toward　her。

He　stood　looking　at　her　for　some　time；　and　then　he　wagged　his　head　and

said；　〃Caw；　caw；　good…day；　good…day。〃　He　pronounced　the　words　as

plainly　as　he　could；　because　he　meant　to　be　kind　to　the　little　girl；

and　then　he　asked　her　where　she　was　going　all　alone　in　the　wide　world。

　　　　The　word　alone　Gerda　understood　very　well；　and　knew　how　much　it

expressed。　So　then　she　told　the　crow　the　whole　story　of　her　life　and

adventures；　and　asked　him　if　he　had　seen　little　Kay。

　　　　The　crow　nodded　his　head　very　gravely；　and　said；　〃Perhaps　I

have…　it　may　be。〃

　　　　〃No！　Do　you　think　you　have？〃　cried　little　Gerda；　and　she　kissed

the　crow；　and　hugged　him　almost　to　death　with　joy。

　　　　〃Gently；　gently；〃　said　the　crow。　〃I　believe　I　know。　I　think　it　may

be　little　Kay；　but　he　has　certainly　forgotten　you　by　this　time　for　the

princess。〃

　　　　〃Does　he　live　with　a　princess？〃　asked　Gerda。

　　　　〃Yes；　listen；〃　replied　the　crow；　〃but　it　is　so　difficult　to

speak　your　language。　If　you　understand　the　crows'　language　then　I

can　explain　it　better。　Do　you？〃

　　　　〃No；　I　have　never　learnt　it；〃　said　Gerda；　but　my　grandmother

understands　it；　and　used　to　speak　it　to　me。　I　wish　I　had　learnt　it。〃

　　　　〃It　does　not　matter；〃　answered　the　crow；　〃I　will　explain　as　well

as　I　can；　although　it　will　be　very　badly　done；〃　and　he　told　her　what

he　had　heard。　〃In　this　kingdom　where　we　now　are；〃　said　he；　〃there

lives　a　princess；　who　is　so　wonderfully　clever　that　she　has　read　all

the　newspapers　in　the　world；　and　forgotten　them　too；　although　she　is

so　clever。　A　short　time　ago；　as　she　was　sitting　on　her　throne；　which

people　say　is　not　such　an　agreeable　seat　as　is　often　supposed；　she

began　to　sing　a　song　which　commences　in　these　words：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Why　should　I　not　be　married？'



'Why　not　indeed？'　said　she；　and　so　she　determined　to　marry　if　she

could　find　a　husband　who　knew　what　to　say　when　he　was　spoken　to；　and

not　one　who　could　only　look　grand；　for　that　was　so　tiresome。　Then

she　assembled　all　her　court　ladies　together　at　the　beat　of　the　drum；

and　when　they　heard　of　her　intentions　they　were　very　much　pleased。　'We

are　so　glad　to　hear　it；'　said　they；　we　were　talking　about　it　ourselves

the　other　day。'　You　may　believe　that　every　word　I　tell　you　is　true；〃

said　the　crow；　〃for　I　have　a　tame　sweetheart　who　goes　freely　about　the

palace；　and　she　told　me　all　this。〃

　　　　Of　course　his　sweetheart　was　a　crow；　for　〃birds　of　a　feather　flock

together；〃　and　one　crow　always　chooses　another　crow。

　　　　〃Newspapers　were　published　immediately；　with　a　border　of　hearts；

and　the　initials　of　the　princess　among　them。　They　gave　notice　that

every　young　man　who　was　handsome　was　free　to　visit　the　castle　and

speak　with　the　princess；　and　those　who　could　reply　loud　enough　to　be

heard　when　spoken　to；　were　to　make　themselves　quite　at　home　at　the

palace；　but　the　one　who　spoke　best　would　be　chosen　as　a　husband　for

the　princess。　Yes；　yes；　you　may　believe　me；　it　is　all　as　true　as　I　sit

here；〃　said　the　crow。　〃The　people　came　in　crowds。　There　was　a　great

deal　of　crushing　and　running　about；　but　no　one　succeeded　either　on　the

first　or　second　day。　They　could　all　speak　very　well　while　they　were

outside　in　the　streets；　but　when　they　entered　the　palace　gates；　and

saw　the　guards　in　silver　uniforms；　and　the　footmen　in　their　golden

livery　on　the　staircase；　and　the　great　halls　lighted　up；　they　became

quite　confused。　And　when　they　stood　before　the　throne　on　which　the

princess　sat；　they　could　do　nothing　but　repeat　the　last　words　she

had　said；　and　she　had　no　particular　wish　to　hear　her　own　words　over

again。　It　was　just　as　if　they　had　all　taken　something　to　make　them

sleepy　while　they　were　in　the　palace；　for　they　did　not　recover

themselves　nor　speak　till　they　got　back　again　into　the　street。　There

was　quite　a　long　line　of　them　reaching　from　the　town…gate　to　the

palace。　I　went　myself　to　see　them；〃　said　the　crow。　〃They　were　hungry

and　thirsty；　for　at　the　palace　they　did　not　get　even　a　glass　of　water。

Some　of　the　wisest　had　taken　a　few　slices　of　bread　and　butter　with

them；　but　they　did　not　share　it　with　their　neighbors；　they　thought

if　they　went　in　to　the　princess　looking　hungry；　there　would　be　a

better　chance　for　themselves。〃

　　　　〃But　Kay！　tell　me　about　little　Kay！〃　said　Gerda；　〃was　he　amongst

the　crowd？〃

　　　　〃Stop　a　bit；　we　are　just　coming　to　him。　It　was　on　the　third　day；

there　came　marching　cheerfully　along　to　the　palace　a　little　personage；

without　horses　or　carriage；　his　eyes　sparkling　like　yours；　he　had

beautiful　long　hair；　but　his　clothes　were　very　poor。〃

　　　　〃That　was　Kay！〃　said　Gerda　joyfully。　〃Oh；　then　I　have　found

him；〃　and　she　clapped　her　hands。

　　　　〃He　had　a　little　knapsack　on　his　back；〃　added　the　crow。

　　　　〃No；　it　must　have　been　his　sledge；〃　said　Gerda；　〃for　he　went

away　with　it。〃

　　　　〃It　may　have　been　so；〃　said　the　crow；　〃I　did　not　look　at　it　very

closely。　But　I　know　from　my　tame　sweetheart　that　he　passed　through　the

palace　gates；　saw　the　guards　in　their　silver　uniform；　and　the　servants

in　their　liveries　of　gold　on　the　stairs；　but　he　was　not　in　the　least

embarrassed。　'It　must　be　very　tiresome　to　stand　on　the　stairs；'　he

said。　'I　prefer　to　go　in。〃　The　rooms　were　blazing　with　light。

Councillors　and　ambassadors　walked　about　with　bare　feet；　carrying

golden　vessels；　it　was　enough　to　make　any　one　feel　serious。　His

boots　creaked　loudly　as　he　walked；　and　yet　he　was　not　at　all　uneasy。〃

　　　　〃It　must　be　Kay；〃　said　Gerda；　〃I　know　he　had　new　boots　on；　I

have　heard　them　creak　in　grandmother's　room。〃

　　　　〃They　really　did　creak；〃　said　the　crow；　〃yet　he　went　boldly　up

to　the　princess　herself；　who　was　sitting　on　a　pearl　as　large　as　a

spinning　wheel；　and　all　the　ladies　of　the　court　were　present　with

their　maids；　and　all　the　cavaliers　with　their　servants；　and　each　of

the　maids　had　another　maid　to　wait　upon　her；　and　the　cavaliers'

servants　had　their　own　servants；　as　well　as　a　page　each。　They　all

stood　in　circles　round　the　princess；　and　the　nearer　they　stood　to

the　door；　the　prouder　they　looked。　The　servants'　pages；　who　always

wore　slippers；　could　hardly　be　looked　at；　they　held　themselves　up　so

proudly　by　the　door。〃

　　　　〃It　must　be　quite　awful；〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃but　did　Kay　win

the　princess？〃

　　　　〃If　I　had　not　been　a　crow；〃　said