English
Inalargetown,wheretherearesomanyhouses,andsomanypeople,thatthereisnoroofleftforeverybodytohavealittlegarden;andwhere,onthisaccount,most.
personsareobligedtocontentthemselveswithflowersinpots;therelivedtwolittlechildren,whohadagardensomewhatlargerthanaflower–pot.
Theywerenotbrotherandsister;buttheycaredforeachotherasmuchasiftheywere.Theirparentslivedexactlyopposite.
Theyinhabitedtwogarrets;andwheretheroofoftheonehousejoinedthatoftheother,andthegutterranalongtheextremeendofit,therewastoeachhouseasmallwindow:oneneededonlytostepovertheguttertogetfromonewindowtotheother.
Thechildren'sparentshadlargewoodenboxesthere,inwhichvegetablesforthekitchenwereplanted,andlittlerosetreesbesides:therewasaroseineachbox,andtheygrewsplendidly.
Theynowthoughtofplacingtheboxesacrossthegutter,sothattheynearlyreachedfromonewindowtotheother,andlookedjustliketwowallsofflowers.
Thetendrilsofthepeashungdownovertheboxes;andtherose–treesshotuplongbranches,twinedroundthewindows,andthenbenttowardseachother:itwasalmostlikeatriumphantarchoffoliageandflowers.
Theboxeswereveryhigh,andthechildrenknewthattheymustnotcreepoverthem;sotheyoftenobtainedpermissiontogetoutofthewindowstoeachother,andtositontheirlittlestoolsamongtheroses,wheretheycouldplaydelightfully.
Inwintertherewasanendofthispleasure.
Thewindowswereoftenfrozenover;butthentheyheatedcopperfarthingsonthestove,andlaidthehotfarthingonthewindowpane,andthentheyhadacapitalpeep–hole,quitenicelyrounded;andoutofeachpeepedagentlefriendlyeye—itwasthelittleboyandthelittlegirlwhowerelookingout.HisnamewasKay,herswasGerda.
Insummer,withonejump,theycouldgettoeachother;butinwintertheywereobligedfirsttogodownthelongstairs,andthenupthelongstairsagain:andout–of–doorstherewasquiteasnow–storm.
"Itisthewhitebeesthatareswarming,"saidKay'soldgrandmother.
"Dothewhitebeeschooseaqueen?"askedthelittleboy;forheknewthatthehoney–beesalwayshaveone.
"Yes,"saidthegrandmother,"sheflieswheretheswarmhangsinthethickestclusters.
Sheisthelargestofall;andshecanneverremainquietlyontheearth,butgoesupagainintotheblackclouds.
Manyawinter'snightshefliesthroughthestreetsofthetown,andpeepsinatthewindows;andtheythenfreezeinsowondrousamannerthattheylooklikeflowers."
"Yes,Ihaveseenit,"saidboththechildren;andsotheyknewthatitwastrue.
"CantheSnowQueencomein?"saidthelittlegirl.
"Onlylethercomein!"saidthelittleboy."ThenI'dputheronthestove,andshe'dmelt."
Andthenhisgrandmotherpattedhisheadandtoldhimotherstories.
Intheevening,whenlittleKaywasathome,andhalfundressed,heclimbeduponthechairbythewindow,andpeepedoutofthelittlehole.
Afewsnow–flakeswerefalling,andone,thelargestofall,remainedlyingontheedgeofaflower–pot.
Theflakeofsnowgrewlargerandlarger;andatlastitwaslikeayounglady,dressedinthefinestwhitegauze,madeofamillionlittleflakeslikestars.
Shewassobeautifulanddelicate,butshewasofice,ofdazzling,sparklingice;yetshelived;hereyesgazedfixedly,liketwostars;buttherewasneitherquietnorreposeinthem.
Shenoddedtowardsthewindow,andbeckonedwithherhand.
Thelittleboywasfrightened,andjumpeddownfromthechair;itseemedtohimasif,atthesamemoment,alargebirdflewpastthewindow.
Thenextdayitwasasharpfrost—andthenthespringcame;thesunshone,thegreenleavesappeared,theswallowsbuilttheirnests,thewindowswereopened,andthelittlechildrenagainsatintheirprettygarden,highupontheleadsatthetopofthehouse.
Thatsummertherosesfloweredinunwontedbeauty.
Thelittlegirlhadlearnedahymn,inwhichtherewassomethingaboutroses;andthenshethoughtofherownflowers;andshesangtheversetothelittleboy,whothensangitwithher:
"Theroseinthevalleyisbloomingsosweet,Andangelsdescendtherethechildrentogreet."
Andthechildrenheldeachotherbythehand,kissedtheroses,lookedupattheclearsunshine,andspokeasthoughtheyreallysawangelsthere.Whatlovelysummer–daysthosewere!
Howdelightfultobeoutintheair,nearthefreshrose–bushes,thatseemasiftheywouldneverfinishblossoming!
KayandGerdalookedatthepicture–bookfullofbeastsandofbirds;anditwasthen—theclockinthechurch–towerwasjuststrikingfive—thatKaysaid,"Oh!
Ifeelsuchasharppaininmyheart;andnowsomethinghasgotintomyeye!"
Thelittlegirlputherarmsaroundhisneck.Hewinkedhiseves;nowtherewasnothingtobeseen.
"Ithinkitisoutnow,"saidhe;butitwasnot.
Itwasjustoneofthosepiecesofglassfromthemagicmirrorthathadgotintohiseye;andpoorKayhadgotanotherpiecerightinhisheart.Itwillsoonbecomelikeice.
Itdidnothurtanylonger,butthereitwas.
"Whatareyoucryingfor?"askedhe."Youlooksougly!There'snothingthematterwithme.
Ah,"saidheatonce,"thatroseiscankered!Andlook,thisoneisquitecrooked!Afterall,theserosesareveryugly!
Theyarejustliketheboxtheyareplantedin!"
Andthenhegavetheboxagoodkickwithhisfoot,andpulledboththerosesup.
"Whatareyoudoing?"criedthelittlegirl;andasheperceivedherfright,hepulledupanotherrose,gotinatthewindow,andhastenedofffromdearlittleGerda.
Afterwards,whenshebroughtherpicture–book,heasked,"Whathorridbeastshaveyouthere?"
Andifhisgrandmothertoldthemstories,healwaysinterruptedher;besides,ifhecouldmanageit,hewouldgetbehindher,putonherspectacles,andimitateherwayofspeaking;hecopiedallherways,andtheneverybodylaughedathim.
Hewassoonabletoimitatethegaitandmannerofeveryoneinthestreet.
Everythingthatwaspeculiaranddispleasinginthem—thatKayknewhowtoimitate:andatsuchtimesallthepeoplesaid,"Theboyiscertainlyveryclever!"
Butitwastheglasshehadgotinhiseye;theglassthatwasstickinginhisheart,whichmadehimteaseevenlittleGerda,whosewholesoulwasdevotedtohim.
Hisgamesnowwerequitedifferenttowhattheyhadformerlybeen,theyweresoveryknowing.
Onewinter'sday,whentheflakesofsnowwereflyingabout,hespreadtheskirtsofhisbluecoat,andcaughtthesnowasitfell.
"Lookthroughthisglass,Gerda,"saidhe.Andeveryflakeseemedlarger,andappearedlikeamagnificentflower,orbeautifulstar;itwassplendidtolookat!
"Look,howclever!"saidKay."That'smuchmoreinterestingthanrealflowers!Theyareasexactaspossible;thereinotafaultinthem,iftheydidnotmelt!"
Itwasnotlongafterthis,thatKaycameonedaywithlargegloveson,andhislittlesledgeathisback,andbawledrightintoGerda'sears,"Ihavepermissiontogooutintothesquarewheretheothersareplaying";andoffhewasinamoment.
There,inthemarket–place,someoftheboldestoftheboysusedtotietheirsledgestothecartsastheypassedby,andsotheywerepulledalong,andgotagoodride.Itwassocapital!
Justastheywereintheveryheightoftheiramusement,alargesledgepassedby:itwaspaintedquitewhite,andtherewassomeoneinitwrappedupinaroughwhitemantleoffur,witharoughwhitefurcaponhishead.
Thesledgedroveroundthesquaretwice,andKaytiedonhissledgeasquicklyashecould,andoffhedrovewithit.
Ontheywentquickerandquickerintothenextstreet;andthepersonwhodroveturnedroundtoKay,andnoddedtohiminafriendlymanner,justasiftheykneweachother.
Everytimehewasgoingtountiehissledge,thepersonnoddedtohim,andthenKaysatquiet;andsoontheywenttilltheycameoutsidethegatesofthetown.
Thenthesnowbegantofallsothicklythatthelittleboycouldnotseeanarm'slengthbeforehim,butstillonhewent:whensuddenlyheletgothestringheheldinhishandinordertogetloosefromthesledge,butitwasofnouse;stillthelittlevehiclerushedonwiththequicknessofthewind.
Hethencriedasloudashecould,butnoonebeardhim;thesnowdriftedandthesledgeflewon,andsometimesitgaveajerkasthoughtheyweredrivingoverhedgesandditches.
Hewasquitefrightened,andhetriedtorepeattheLord'sPrayer;butallhecoulddo,hewasonlyabletorememberthemultiplicationtable.
Thesnow–flakesgrewlargerandlarger,tillatlasttheylookedjustlikegreatwhitefowls.
Suddenlytheyflewononeside;thelargesledgestopped,andthepersonwhodroveroseup.
Itwasalady;hercloakandcapwereofsnow.
Shewastallandofslenderfigure,andofadazzlingwhiteness.ItwastheSnowQueen.
"Wehavetravelledfast,"saidshe;"butitisfreezinglycold.Comeundermybearskin."
Andsheputhiminthesledgebesideher,wrappedthefurroundhim,andhefeltasthoughheweresinkinginasnow–wreath.
"Areyoustillcold?"askedshe;andthenshekissedhisforehead.Ah!
itwascolderthanice;itpenetratedtohisveryheart,whichwasalreadyalmostafrozenlump;itseemedtohimasifhewereabouttodie—butamomentmoreanditwasquitecongenialtohim,andhedidnotremarkthecoldthatwasaroundhim.
"Mysledge!Donotforgetmysledge!"Itwasthefirstthinghethoughtof.
Itwastheretiedtooneofthewhitechickens,whoflewalongwithitonhisbackbehindthelargesledge.
TheSnowQueenkissedKayoncemore,andthenheforgotlittleGerda,grandmother,andallwhomhehadleftathishome.
"Nowyouwillhavenomorekisses,"saidshe,"orelseIshouldkissyoutodeath!"
Kaylookedather.Shewasverybeautiful;amoreclever,oramorelovelycountenancehecouldnotfancytohimself;andshenolongerappearedoficeasbefore,whenshesatoutsidethewindow,andbeckonedtohim;inhiseyesshewasperfect,hedidnotfearheratall,andtoldherthathecouldcalculateinhisheadandwithfractions,even;thatheknewthenumberofsquaremilestherewereinthedifferentcountries,andhowmanyinhabitantstheycontained;andshesmiledwhilehespoke.
Itthenseemedtohimasifwhatheknewwasnotenough,andhelookedupwardsinthelargehugeemptyspaceabovehim,andonsheflewwithhim;flewhighover,theblackclouds,whilethestormmoanedandwhistledasthoughitweresingingsomeoldtune.
Ontheyflewoverwoodsandlakes,overseas,andmanylands;andbeneaththemthechillingstormrushedfast,thewolveshowled,thesnowcrackled;abovethemflewlargescreamingcrows,buthigherupappearedthemoon,quitelargeandbright;anditwasonitthatKaygazedduringthelonglongwinter'snight;whilebydayhesleptatthefeetoftheSnowQueen.
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