English
Gerdawasobligedtorestherselfagain,when,exactlyoppositetoher,alargeRavencamehoppingoverthewhitesnow.
HehadlongbeenlookingatGerdaandshakinghishead;andnowhesaid,"Caw!Caw!"Goodday!Goodday!
Hecouldnotsayitbetter;buthefeltasympathyforthelittlegirl,andaskedherwhereshewasgoingallalone.
Theword"alone"Gerdaunderstoodquitewell,andfelthowmuchwasexpressedbyit;soshetoldtheRavenherwholehistory,andaskedifhehadnotseenKay.
TheRavennoddedverygravely,andsaid,"Itmaybe—itmaybe!"
"What,doyoureallythinkso?"criedthelittlegirl;andshenearlysqueezedtheRaventodeath,somuchdidshekisshim.
"Gently,gently,"saidtheRaven."IthinkIknow;IthinkthatitmaybelittleKay.ButnowhehasforgottenyouforthePrincess."
"DoeshelivewithaPrincess?"askedGerda.
"Yes—listen,"saidtheRaven;"butitwillbedifficultformetospeakyourlanguage.IfyouunderstandtheRavenlanguageIcantellyoubetter."
"No,Ihavenotlearntit,"saidGerda;"butmygrandmotherunderstandsit,andshecanspeakgibberishtoo.IwishIhadlearntit."
"Nomatter,"saidtheRaven;"IwilltellyouaswellasIcan;however,itwillbebadenough."Andthenhetoldallheknew.
"InthekingdomwherewenowaretherelivesaPrincess,whoisextraordinarilyclever;forshehasreadallthenewspapersinthewholeworld,andhasforgottenthemagain—socleverisshe.
Shewaslately,itissaid,sittingonherthrone—whichisnotveryamusingafterall—whenshebeganhumminganoldtune,anditwasjust,'Oh,whyshouldInotbemarried?'
"Thatsongisnotwithoutitsmeaning,'saidshe,andsothenshewasdeterminedtomarry;butshewouldhaveahusbandwhoknewhowtogiveananswerwhenhewasspokento—notonewholookedonlyasifhewereagreatpersonage,forthatissotiresome.
Shethenhadalltheladiesofthecourtdrummedtogether;andwhentheyheardherintention,allwereverypleased,andsaid,'Weareverygladtohearit;itistheverythingwewerethinkingof.'
YoumaybelieveeverywordIsay,saidtheRaven;"forIhaveatamesweetheartthathopsaboutinthepalacequitefree,anditwasshewhotoldmeallthis.
"ThenewspapersappearedforthwithwithaborderofheartsandtheinitialsofthePrincess;andthereinyoumightreadthateverygood–lookingyoungmanwasatlibertytocometothepalaceandspeaktothePrincess;andhewhospokeinsuchwiseasshowedhefelthimselfathomethere,thatonethePrincesswouldchooseforherhusband.
"Yes,Yes,"saidtheRaven,"youmaybelieveit;itisastrueasIamsittinghere.
Peoplecameincrowds;therewasacrushandahurry,butnoonewassuccessfuleitheronthefirstorsecondday.
Theycouldalltalkwellenoughwhentheywereoutinthestreet;butassoonastheycameinsidethepalacegates,andsawtheguardrichlydressedinsilver,andthelackeysingoldonthestaircase,andthelargeilluminatedsaloons,thentheywereabashed;andwhentheystoodbeforethethroneonwhichthePrincesswassitting,alltheycoulddowastorepeatthelastwordtheyhaduttered,andtohearitagaindidnotinterestherverymuch.
Itwasjustasifthepeoplewithinwereunderacharm,andhadfallenintoatrancetilltheycameoutagainintothestreet;forthen—oh,then—theycouldchatterenough.
Therewasawholerowofthemstandingfromthetown–gatestothepalace.
Iwastheremyselftolook,"saidtheRaven.
"Theygrewhungryandthirsty;butfromthepalacetheygotnothingwhatever,notevenaglassofwater.
Someofthecleverest,itistrue,hadtakenbreadandbutterwiththem:butnoneshareditwithhisneighbor,foreachthought,'Lethimlookhungry,andthenthePrincesswon'thavehim."'
"ButKay—littleKay,"saidGerda,"whendidhecome?Washeamongthenumber?"
"Patience,patience;wearejustcometohim.
Itwasonthethirddaywhenalittlepersonagewithouthorseorequipage,camemarchingrightboldlyuptothepalace;hiseyesshonelikeyours,hehadbeautifullonghair,buthisclotheswereveryshabby."
"ThatwasKay,"criedGerda,withavoiceofdelight."Oh,nowI'vefoundhim!"andsheclappedherhandsforjoy.
"Hehadalittleknapsackathisback,"saidtheRaven.
"No,thatwascertainlyhissledge,"saidGerda;"forwhenhewentawayhetookhissledgewithhim."
"Thatmaybe,"saidtheRaven;"Ididnotexaminehimsominutely;butIknowfrommytamesweetheart,thatwhenhecameintothecourt–yardofthepalace,andsawthebody–guardinsilver,thelackeysonthestaircase,hewasnottheleastabashed;henodded,andsaidtothem,'Itmustbeverytiresometostandonthestairs;formypart,Ishallgoin.'
Thesaloonsweregleamingwithlustres—privycouncillorsandexcellencieswerewalkingaboutbarefooted,andworegoldkeys;itwasenoughtomakeanyonefeeluncomfortable.
Hisbootscreaked,too,soloudly,butstillhewasnotatallafraid."
"That'sKayforcertain,"saidGerda."Iknowhehadonnewboots;Ihaveheardthemcreakingingrandmama'sroom."
"Yes,theycreaked,"saidtheRaven."AndonhewentboldlyuptothePrincess,whowassittingonapearlaslargeasaspinning–wheel.
Alltheladiesofthecourt,withtheirattendantsandattendants'attendants,andallthecavaliers,withtheirgentlemenandgentlemen'sgentlemen,stoodround;andthenearertheystoodtothedoor,theproudertheylooked.
Itwashardlypossibletolookatthegentleman'sgentleman,soveryhaughtilydidhestandinthedoorway."
"Itmusthavebeenterrible,"saidlittleGerda."AnddidKaygetthePrincess?"
"WereInotaRaven,IshouldhavetakenthePrincessmyself,althoughIampromised.
ItissaidhespokeaswellasIspeakwhenItalkRavenlanguage;thisIlearnedfrommytamesweetheart.
Hewasboldandnicelybehaved;hehadnotcometowoothePrincess,butonlytohearherwisdom.Shepleasedhim,andhepleasedher."
"Yes,yes;forcertainthatwasKay,"saidGerda."Hewassoclever;hecouldreckonfractionsinhishead.Oh,won'tyoutakemetothepalace?"
"Thatisveryeasilysaid,"answeredtheRaven."Buthowarewetomanageit?
I'llspeaktomytamesweetheartaboutit:shemustadviseus;forsomuchImusttellyou,suchalittlegirlasyouarewillnevergetpermissiontoenter."
"Oh,yesIshall,"saidGerda;"whenKayhearsthatIamhere,hewillcomeoutdirectlytofetchme."
"Waitformehereonthesesteps,"saidtheRaven.Hemovedhisheadbackwardsandforwardsandflewaway.
TheeveningwasclosinginwhentheRavenreturned."Caw—caw!"saidhe.
"Shesendsyouhercompliments;andhereisarollforyou.
Shetookitoutofthekitchen,wherethereisbreadenough.Youarehungry,nodoubt.
Itisnotpossibleforyoutoenterthepalace,foryouarebarefooted:theguardsinsilver,andthelackeysingold,wouldnotallowit;butdonotcry,youshallcomeinstill.
Mysweetheartknowsalittlebackstairthatleadstothebedchamber,andsheknowswhereshecangetthekeyofit."
Andtheywentintothegardeninthelargeavenue,whereoneleafwasfallingaftertheother;andwhenthelightsinthepalacehadallgraduallydisappeared,theRavenledlittleGerdatothebackdoor,whichstoodhalfopen.
Oh,howGerda'sheartbeatwithanxietyandlonging!
Itwasjustasifshehadbeenabouttodosomethingwrong;andyetsheonlywantedtoknowiflittleKaywasthere.Yes,hemustbethere.
Shecalledtomindhisintelligenteyes,andhislonghair,sovividly,shecouldquiteseehimasheusedtolaughwhentheyweresittingundertherosesathome.
"Hewill,nodoubt,begladtoseeyou—tohearwhatalongwayyouhavecomeforhissake;toknowhowunhappyallathomewerewhenhedidnotcomeback."
Oh,whatafrightandajoyitwas!
Theywerenowonthestairs.Asinglelampwasburningthere;andonthefloorstoodthetameRaven,turningherheadoneverysideandlookingatGerda,whobowedashergrandmotherhadtaughthertodo.
"Myintendedhastoldmesomuchgoodofyou,mydearyounglady,"saidthetameRaven."Yourtaleisveryaffecting.
Ifyouwilltakethelamp,Iwillgobefore.
Wewillgostraighton,forweshallmeetnoone."
"Ithinkthereissomebodyjustbehindus,"saidGerda;andsomethingrushedpast:itwaslikeshadowyfiguresonthewall;horseswithflowingmanesandthinlegs,huntsmen,ladiesandgentlemenonhorseback.
"Theyareonlydreams,"saidtheRaven."Theycometofetchthethoughtsofthehighpersonagestothechase;'tiswell,fornowyoucanobservetheminbedallthebetter.
Butletmefind,whenyouenjoyhonoranddistinction,thatyoupossessagratefulheart."
"Tut!That'snotworthtalkingabout,"saidtheRavenofthewoods.
Theynowenteredthefirstsaloon,whichwasofrose–coloredsatin,withartificialflowersonthewall.
Herethedreamswererushingpast,buttheyhastenedbysoquicklythatGerdacouldnotseethehighpersonages.
Onehallwasmoremagnificentthantheother;onemightindeedwellbeabashed;andatlasttheycameintothebedchamber.
Theceilingoftheroomresembledalargepalm–treewithleavesofglass,ofcostlyglass;andinthemiddle,fromathickgoldenstem,hungtwobeds,eachofwhichresembledalily.
Onewaswhite,andinthislaythePrincess;theotherwasred,anditwasherethatGerdawastolookforlittleKay.
Shebentbackoneoftheredleaves,andsawabrownneck.Oh!thatwasKay!
Shecalledhimquiteloudbyname,heldthelamptowardshim—thedreamsrushedbackagainintothechamber—heawoke,turnedhishead,and—itwasnotlittleKay!
ThePrincewasonlylikehimabouttheneck;buthewasyoungandhandsome.
AndoutofthewhitelilyleavesthePrincesspeeped,too,andaskedwhatwasthematter.
ThenlittleGerdacried,andtoldherherwholehistory,andallthattheRavenshaddoneforher.
"Poorlittlething!"saidthePrinceandthePrincess.
TheypraisedtheRavensverymuch,andtoldthemtheywerenotatallangrywiththem,buttheywerenottodosoagain.However,theyshouldhaveareward.
"Willyouflyabouthereatliberty,"askedthePrincess;"orwouldyouliketohaveafixedappointmentascourtravens,withallthebrokenbitsfromthekitchen?"
AndboththeRavensnodded,andbeggedforafixedappointment;fortheythoughtoftheiroldage,andsaid,"Itisagoodthingtohaveaprovisionforourolddays."
AndthePrincegotupandletGerdasleepinhisbed,andmorethanthishecouldnotdo.
Shefoldedherlittlehandsandthought,"Howgoodmenandanimalsare!"
andshethenfellasleepandsleptsoundly.
Allthedreamsflewinagain,andtheynowlookedliketheangels;theydrewalittlesledge,inwhichlittleKaysatandnoddedhishead;butthewholewasonlyadream,andthereforeitallvanishedassoonassheawoke.
Thenextdayshewasdressedfromheadtofootinsilkandvelvet.
Theyofferedtoletherstayatthepalace,andleadahappylife;butshebeggedtohavealittlecarriagewithahorseinfront,andforasmallpairofshoes;then,shesaid,shewouldagaingoforthinthewideworldandlookforKay.
Shoesandamuffweregivenher;shewas,too,dressedverynicely;andwhenshewasabouttosetoff,anewcarriagestoppedbeforethedoor.
Itwasofpuregold,andthearmsofthePrinceandPrincessshonelikeastaruponit;thecoachman,thefootmen,andtheoutriders,foroutriderswerethere,too,allworegoldencrowns.
ThePrinceandthePrincessassistedherintothecarriagethemselves,andwishedherallsuccess.
TheRavenofthewoods,whowasnowmarried,accompaniedherforthefirstthreemiles.
HesatbesideGerda,forhecouldnotbearridingbackwards;theotherRavenstoodinthedoorway,andflappedherwings;shecouldnotaccompanyGerda,becauseshesufferedfromheadachesinceshehadhadafixedappointmentandatesomuch.
Thecarriagewaslinedinsidewithsugar–plums,andintheseatswerefruitsandgingerbread.
"Farewell!Farewell!"
criedPrinceandPrincess;andGerdawept,andtheRavenwept.
Thuspassedthefirstmiles;andthentheRavenbadeherfarewell,andthiswasthemostpainfulseparationofall.
Heflewintoatree,andbeathisblackwingsaslongashecouldseethecarriage,thatshonefromafarlikeasunbeam.
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