THE SNOW QUEEN

THE SNOW QUEEN,标签：剑桥少儿英语故事,少儿英语小故事,http://www.xuehuiba.com

    " am going now to warm lands，" said the Snow Queen. "I must have a look down into the black caldrons." It was the volcanoes Vesuvius and Etna that she meant. "I will just give them a coating of white， for that is as it ought to be； besides， it is good for the oranges and the grapes." And then away she flew， and Kay sat quite alone in the empty halls of ice that were miles long， and looked at the blocks of ice， and thought and thought till his skull was almost cracked. There he sat quite benumbed and motionless； one would have imagined he was frozen to death.

    Suddenly little Gerda stepped through the great portal into the palace. The gate was formed of cutting winds； but Gerda repeated her evening prayer， and the winds were laid as though they slept； and the little maiden entered the vast， empty， cold halls. There she beheld Kay： she recognised him， flew to embrace him， and cried out， her arms firmly holding him the while， "Kay， sweet little Kay！ Have I then found you at last？"

    But he sat quite still， benumbed and cold. Then little Gerda shed burning tears； and they fell on his bosom， they penetrated to his heart， they thawed the lumps of ice， and consumed the splinters of the looking-glass； he looked at her， and she sang the hymn：

    "The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet， And angels descend there the children to greet."

    Hereupon Kay burst into tears； he wept so much that the splinter rolled out of his eye， and he recognised her， and shouted， "Gerda， sweet little Gerda！ Where have you been so long？ And where have I been？" He looked round him. "How cold it is here！" said he. "How empty and cold！" And he held fast by Gerda， who laughed and wept for joy. It was so beautiful， that even the blocks of ice danced about for joy； and when they were tired and laid themselves down， they formed exactly the letters which the Snow Queen had told him to find out； so now he was his own master， and he would have the whole world and a pair of new skates into the bargain.

    Gerda kissed his cheeks， and they grew quite blooming； she kissed his eyes， and they shone like her own； she kissed his hands and feet， and he was again well and merry. The Snow Queen might come back as soon as she liked； there stood his discharge written in resplendent masses of ice.

    They took each other by the hand， and wandered forth out of the large hall； they talked of their old grandmother， and of the roses upon the roof； and wherever they went， the winds ceased raging， and the sun burst forth. And when they reached the bush with the red berries， they found the Reindeer waiting for them. He had brought another， a young one， with him， whose udder was filled with milk， which he gave to the little ones， and kissed their lips. They then carried Kay and Gerda——first to the Finland woman， where they warmed themselves in the warm room， and learned what they were to do on their journey home； and they went to the Lapland woman， who made some new clothes for them and repaired their sledges.

    The Reindeer and the young hind leaped along beside them， and accompanied them to the boundary of the country. Here the first vegetation peeped forth； here Kay and Gerda took leave of the Lapland woman. "Farewell！ Farewell！" they all said. And the first green buds appeared， the first little birds began to chirrup； and out of the wood came， riding on a magnificent horse， which Gerda knew （it was one of the leaders in the golden carriage）， a young damsel with a bright-red cap on her head， and armed with pistols. It was the little robber maiden， who， tired of being at home， had determined to make a journey to the north； and afterwards in another direction， if that did not please her. She recognised Gerda immediately， and Gerda knew her too. It was a joyful meeting.

    "You are a fine fellow for tramping about，" said she to little Kay； "I should like to know， faith， if you deserve that one should run from one end of the world to the other for your sake？"

    But Gerda patted her cheeks， and inquired for the Prince and Princess.

    "They are gone abroad，" said the other.

    "But the Raven？" asked little Gerda.

    "Oh！ The Raven is dead，" she answered. "His tame sweetheart is a widow， and wears a bit of black worsted round her leg； she laments most piteously， but it's all mere talk and stuff！ Now tell me what you've been doing and how you managed to catch him."

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