the snow queen in seven stories-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


filliped　her　nose　till　it　was　quite　red；　yet　she　did　it　all　for　love。

　　　　When　the　mother　had　drunk　out　of　the　bottle；　and　was　gone　to

sleep；　the　little　robber…maiden　went　to　the　reindeer；　and　said；　〃I

should　like　very　much　to　tickle　your　neck　a　few　times　more　with　my

knife；　for　it　makes　you　look　so　funny；　but　never　mind；…　I　will　untie

your　cord；　and　set　you　free；　so　that　you　may　run　away　to　Lapland；

but　you　must　make　good　use　of　your　legs；　and　carry　this　little

maiden　to　the　castle　of　the　Snow　Queen；　where　her　play…fellow　is。

You　have　heard　what　she　told　me；　for　she　spoke　loud　enough；　and　you

were　listening。〃

　　　　Then　the　reindeer　jumped　for　joy；　and　the　little　robber…girl

lifted　Gerda　on　his　back；　and　had　the　forethought　to　tie　her　on；　and

even　to　give　her　her　own　little　cushion　to　sit　on。

　　　　〃Here　are　your　fur　boots　for　you；〃　said　she；　〃for　it　will　be

very　cold；　but　I　must　keep　the　muff；　it　is　so　pretty。　However；　you

shall　not　be　frozen　for　the　want　of　it；　here　are　my　mother's　large

warm　mittens；　they　will　reach　up　to　your　elbows。　Let　me　put　them　on。

There；　now　your　hands　look　just　like　my　mother's。〃

　　　　But　Gerda　wept　for　joy。

　　　　〃I　don't　like　to　see　you　fret；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；

〃you　ought　to　look　quite　happy　now；　and　here　are　two　loaves　and　a　ham；

so　that　you　need　not　starve。〃　These　were　fastened　on　the　reindeer；　and

then　the　little　robber…maiden　opened　the　door；　coaxed　in　all　the　great

dogs；　and　then　cut　the　string　with　which　the　reindeer　was　fastened；

with　her　sharp　knife；　and　said；　〃Now　run；　but　mind　you　take　good

care　of　the　little　girl。〃　And　then　Gerda　stretched　out　her　hand；

with　the　great　mitten　on　it；　towards　the　little　robber…girl；　and　said；

〃Farewell；〃　and　away　flew　the　reindeer；　over　stumps　and　stones；

through　the　great　forest；　over　marshes　and　plains；　as　quickly　as　he

could。　The　wolves　howled；　and　the　ravens　screamed；　while　up　in　the　sky

quivered　red　lights　like　flames　of　fire。　〃There　are　my　old　northern

lights；〃　said　the　reindeer；　〃see　how　they　flash。〃　And　he　ran　on　day

and　night　still　faster　and　faster；　but　the　loaves　and　the　ham　were　all

eaten　by　the　time　they　reached　Lapland。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SIXTH　STORY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LAPLAND　WOMAN　AND

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FINLAND　WOMAN



　　　　They　stopped　at　a　little　hut；　it　was　very　mean　looking；　the　roof

sloped　nearly　down　to　the　ground；　and　the　door　was　so　low　that　the

family　had　to　creep　in　on　their　hands　and　knees；　when　they　went　in　and

out。　There　was　no　one　at　home　but　an　old　Lapland　woman；　who　was

cooking　fish　by　the　light　of　a　train…oil　lamp。　The　reindeer　told　her

all　about　Gerda's　story；　after　having　first　told　his　own；　which　seemed

to　him　the　most　important；　but　Gerda　was　so　pinched　with　the　cold　that

she　could　not　speak。　〃Oh；　you　poor　things；〃　said　the　Lapland　woman；

〃you　have　a　long　way　to　go　yet。　You　must　travel　more　than　a　hundred

miles　farther；　to　Finland。　The　Snow　Queen　lives　there　now；　and　she

burns　Bengal　lights　every　evening。　I　will　write　a　few　words　on　a　dried

stock…fish；　for　I　have　no　paper；　and　you　can　take　it　from　me　to　the

Finland　woman　who　lives　there；　she　can　give　you　better　information

than　I　can。〃　So　when　Gerda　was　warmed；　and　had　taken　something　to

eat　and　drink；　the　woman　wrote　a　few　words　on　the　dried　fish；　and　told

Gerda　to　take　great　care　of　it。　Then　she　tied　her　again　on　the

reindeer；　and　he　set　off　at　full　speed。　Flash；　flash；　went　the

beautiful　blue　northern　lights　in　the　air　the　whole　night　long。　And　at

length　they　reached　Finland；　and　knocked　at　the　chimney　of　the　Finland

woman's　hut；　for　it　had　no　door　above　the　ground。　They　crept　in；　but

it　was　so　terribly　hot　inside　that　that　woman　wore　scarcely　any

clothes；　she　was　small　and　very　dirty　looking。　She　loosened　little

Gerda's　dress；　and　took　off　the　fur　boots　and　the　mittens；　or　Gerda

would　have　been　unable　to　bear　the　heat；　and　then　she　placed　a　piece

of　ice　on　the　reindeer's　head；　and　read　what　was　written　on　the

dried　fish。　After　she　had　read　it　three　times；　she　knew　it　by　heart；

so　she　popped　the　fish　into　the　soup　saucepan；　as　she　knew　it　was　good

to　eat；　and　she　never　wasted　anything。　The　reindeer　told　his　own　story

first；　and　then　little　Gerda's；　and　the　Finlander　twinkled　with　her

clever　eyes；　but　she　said　nothing。　〃You　are　so　clever；〃　said　the

reindeer；　〃I　know　you　can　tie　all　the　winds　of　the　world　with　a

piece　of　twine。　If　a　sailor　unties　one　knot；　he　has　a　fair　wind；

when　he　unties　the　second；　it　blows　hard；　but　if　the　third　and

fourth　are　loosened；　then　comes　a　storm；　which　will　root　up　whole

forests。　Cannot　you　give　this　little　maiden　something　which　will

make　her　as　strong　as　twelve　men；　to　overcome　the　Snow　Queen？〃

　　　　〃The　Power　of　twelve　men！〃　said　the　Finland　woman；　〃that　would

be　of　very　little　use。〃　But　she　went　to　a　shelf　and　took　down　and

unrolled　a　large　skin；　on　which　were　inscribed　wonderful　characters；

and　she　read　till　the　perspiration　ran　down　from　her　forehead。　But　the

reindeer　begged　so　hard　for　little　Gerda；　and　Gerda　looked　at　the

Finland　woman　with　such　beseeching　tearful　eyes；　that　her　own　eyes

began　to　twinkle　again；　so　she　drew　the　reindeer　into　a　corner；　and

whispered　to　him　while　she　laid　a　fresh　piece　of　ice　on　his　head；

〃Little　Kay　is　really　with　the　Snow　Queen；　but　he　finds　everything

there　so　much　to　his　taste　and　his　liking；　that　he　believes　it　is

the　finest　place　in　the　world；　but　this　is　because　he　has　a　piece　of

broken　glass　in　his　heart；　and　a　little　piece　of　glass　in　his　eye。

These　must　be　taken　out；　or　he　will　never　be　a　human　being　again；

and　the　Snow　Queen　will　retain　her　power　over　him。〃

　　　　〃But　can　you　not　give　little　Gerda　something　to　help　her　to

conquer　this　power？〃

　　　　〃I　can　give　her　no　greater　power　than　she　has　already；〃　said　the

woman；　〃don't　you　see　how　strong　that　is？　How　men　and　animals　are

obliged　to　serve　her；　and　how　well　she　has　got　through　the　world；

barefooted　as　she　is。　She　cannot　receive　any　power　from　me　greater

than　she　now　has；　which　consists　in　her　own　purity　and　innocence　of

heart。　If　she　cannot　herself　obtain　access　to　the　Snow　Queen；　and

remove　the　glass　fragments　from　little　Kay；　we　can　do　nothing　to

help　her。　Two　miles　from　here　the　Snow　Queen's　garden　begins；　you

can　carry　the　little　girl　so　far；　and　set　her　down　by　the　large　bush

which　stands　in　the　snow；　covered　with　red　berries。　Do　not　stay

gossiping；　but　come　back　here　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃　Then　the　Finland

woman　lifted　little　Gerda　upon　the　reindeer；　and　he　ran　away　with

her　as　quickly　as　he　could。

　　　　〃Oh；　I　have　forgotten　my　boots　and　my　mittens；〃　cried　little

Gerda；　as　soon　as　she　felt　the　cutting　cold；　but　the　reindeer　dared

not　stop；　so　he　ran　on　till　he　reached　the　bush　with　the　red

berries；　here　he　set　Gerda　down；　and　he　kissed　her；　and　the　great

bright　tears　trickled　over　the　animal's　cheeks；　then　he　left　her　and

ran　back　as　fast　as　he　could。

　　　　There　stood　poor　Gerda；　without　shoes；　without　gloves；　in　the

midst　of　cold；　dreary；　ice…bound　Finland。　She　ran　forwards　as

quickly　as　she　could；　when　a　whole　regiment　of　snow…flakes　came

round　her；　they　did　not；　however；　fall　from　the　sky；　which　was　quite

clear　and　glittering　with　the　northern　lights。　The　snow…flakes　ran

along　the　ground；　and　the　nearer　they　came　to　her；　the　larger　they

appeared。　Gerda　remembered　how　large　and　beautiful　they　looked　through

the　burning…glass。　But　these　were　really　larger；　and　much　more

terrible；　for　they　were　alive；　and　were　the　guards　of　the　Snow

Queen；　and　had　the　strangest　shapes。　Some　were　like　great

porcupines；　others　like　twisted　serpents　with　their　heads　stretching

out；　and　some　few　were　like　little　fat　bears　with　their　hair　bristled；

but　all　were　dazzlingly　white；　and　all　were　living　snow…flakes。　Then

little　Gerda　repeated　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　the　cold　was　so　great

that　she　could　see　her　own　breath　come　out　of　her　mouth　like　steam

as　she　uttered　the　words。　The　steam　appeared　to　increase；　as　she

continued　her　prayer；　till　it　took　the　shape　of　little　angels　who　grew

larger　the　moment　they　touched　the　earth。　They　all　wore　helmets　on

their　heads；　and　carried　spears　and　shields。　Their　number　continued　to

increase　more　and　more；　and　by　the　time　Gerda　had　finished　her

prayers；　a　whole　legion　stood　round　her。　They　thrust　their　spears　into

the　terrible　snow…flakes；　so　that　they　shivered　into　a　hundred　pieces；

and　little　Gerda　could　go　forward　with　courage　and　safety。　The

angels　stroked　her　hands　and　feet；　so　that　she　felt　the　cold　less；　and

she　hastened　on　to　the　Snow　Queen's　castle。

　　　　But　now　we　must　see　what　Kay　is　doing。　In　truth　he　thought　not

of　little　Gerda；　and　never　supposed　she　could　be　standing　in　the　front

of　the　palace。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SEVENTH　STORY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OF　THE　PALACE　OF　THE　SNOW　QUEEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AND　WHAT　HAPPENED　THERE　AT　LAST



　　　　The　walls　of　the　palace　were　formed　of　drifted　snow；　and　the

windows　and　doors　of　the　cutting　winds。　There　were　more　than　a　hundred

rooms　in　it；　all　as　if　they　had　been　formed　with　snow　blown

together。　The　largest　of　them　extended　for　several　miles；　they　were

all　lighted　up　by　the　vivid　light　of　the　aurora；　and　they　were　so

large　and　empty；　so　icy　cold　and　glittering！　There　were　no

amusements　here；　not　even　a　little　bear's　ball；　when　the　storm　might

have　been　the　music；　and　the　bears　could　have　danced　on　their　hind

legs；　and　shown　their　good　manners。　There　were　no　pleasant　games　of

snap…dragon；　or　touch；　or　even　a　gossip　over　the　tea…table；　for　the

young…lady　foxes。　Empty；　vast；　and　cold　were　the　halls　of　the　Snow

Queen。　The　flickering　flame　of　the　northern　lights　could　be　plainly

seen；　whether　they　rose　high　or　low　in　the　heavens；　from　every　part　of

the　castle。　In　the　midst　of　its　empty；　endless　hall　of　snow　was　a

frozen　lake；　broken　on　its　surface　into　a　thousand　forms；　each　piece

resembled　another；　from　being　in　itself　perfect　as　a　work　of　art；

and　in　the　centre　of　this　lake　sat　the　Snow　Queen；　when　she　was　at

home。　She　called　the　lake　〃The　M