the snow queen in seven stories-第6章

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each　resembling　a　lily；　hung　from　a　stem　of　gold。　One；　in　which　the

princess　lay；　was　white；　the　other　was　red；　and　in　this　Gerda　had　to

seek　for　little　Kay。　She　pushed　one　of　the　red　leaves　aside；　and　saw　a

little　brown　neck。　Oh；　that　must　be　Kay！　She　called　his　name　out　quite

loud；　and　held　the　lamp　over　him。　The　dreams　rushed　back　into　the　room

on　horseback。　He　woke；　and　turned　his　head　round；　it　was　not　little

Kay！　The　prince　was　only　like　him　in　the　neck；　still　he　was　young

and　pretty。　Then　the　princess　peeped　out　of　her　white…lily　bed；　and

asked　what　was　the　matter。　Then　little　Gerda　wept　and　told　her

story；　and　all　that　the　crows　had　done　to　help　her。

　　　　〃You　poor　child；〃　said　the　prince　and　princess；　then　they

praised　the　crows；　and　said　they　were　not　angry　for　what　they　had

done；　but　that　it　must　not　happen　again；　and　this　time　they　should

be　rewarded。

　　　　〃Would　you　like　to　have　your　freedom？〃　asked　the　princess；　〃or

would　you　prefer　to　be　raised　to　the　position　of　court　crows；　with　all

that　is　left　in　the　kitchen　for　yourselves？〃

　　　　Then　both　the　crows　bowed；　and　begged　to　have　a　fixed　appointment；

for　they　thought　of　their　old　age；　and　said　it　would　be　so　comfortable

to　feel　that　they　had　provision　for　their　old　days；　as　they　called　it。

And　then　the　prince　got　out　of　his　bed；　and　gave　it　up　to　Gerda；…　he

could　do　no　more；　and　she　lay　down。　She　folded　her　little　hands；　and

thought；　〃How　good　everyone　is　to　me；　men　and　animals　too；〃　then　she

closed　her　eyes　and　fell　into　a　sweet　sleep。　All　the　dreams　came

flying　back　again　to　her；　and　they　looked　like　angels；　and　one　of　them

drew　a　little　sledge；　on　which　sat　Kay；　and　nodded　to　her。　But　all

this　was　only　a　dream；　and　vanished　as　soon　as　she　awoke。

　　　　The　following　day　she　was　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　silk　and

velvet；　and　they　invited　her　to　stay　at　the　palace　for　a　few　days；　and

enjoy　herself；　but　she　only　begged　for　a　pair　of　boots；　and　a　little

carriage；　and　a　horse　to　draw　it；　so　that　she　might　go　into　the　wide

world　to　seek　for　Kay。　And　she　obtained；　not　only　boots；　but　also　a

muff；　and　she　was　neatly　dressed；　and　when　she　was　ready　to　go；　there；

at　the　door；　she　found　a　coach　made　of　pure　gold；　with　the

coat…of…arms　of　the　prince　and　princess　shining　upon　it　like　a　star；

and　the　coachman；　footman；　and　outriders　all　wearing　golden　crowns

on　their　heads。　The　prince　and　princess　themselves　helped　her　into　the

coach；　and　wished　her　success。　The　forest　crow；　who　was　now　married；

accompanied　her　for　the　first　three　miles；　he　sat　by　Gerda's　side；

as　he　could　not　bear　riding　backwards。　The　tame　crow　stood　in　the

door…way　flapping　her　wings。　She　could　not　go　with　them；　because　she

had　been　suffering　from　headache　ever　since　the　new　appointment；　no

doubt　from　eating　too　much。　The　coach　was　well　stored　with　sweet

cakes；　and　under　the　seat　were　fruit　and　gingerbread　nuts。

〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　cried　the　prince　and　princess；　and　little

Gerda　wept；　and　the　crow　wept；　and　then；　after　a　few　miles；　the　crow

also　said　〃Farewell；〃　and　this　was　the　saddest　parting。　However；　he

flew　to　a　tree；　and　stood　flapping　his　black　wings　as　long　as　he　could

see　the　coach；　which　glittered　in　the　bright　sunshine。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FIFTH　STORY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LITTLE　ROBBER…GIRL



　　　　The　coach　drove　on　through　a　thick　forest；　where　it　lighted　up　the

way　like　a　torch；　and　dazzled　the　eyes　of　some　robbers；　who　could

not　bear　to　let　it　pass　them　unmolested。

　　　　〃It　is　gold！　it　is　gold！〃　cried　they；　rushing　forward；　and　seizing

the　horses。　Then　they　struck　the　little　jockeys；　the　coachman；　and　the

footman　dead；　and　pulled　little　Gerda　out　of　the　carriage。

　　　　〃She　is　fat　and　pretty；　and　she　has　been　fed　with　the　kernels　of

nuts；〃　said　the　old　robber…woman；　who　had　a　long　beard　and　eyebrows

that　hung　over　her　eyes。　〃She　is　as　good　as　a　little　lamb；　how　nice

she　will　taste！〃　and　as　she　said　this；　she　drew　forth　a　shining　knife；

that　glittered　horribly。　〃Oh！〃　screamed　the　old　woman　the　same　moment；

for　her　own　daughter；　who　held　her　back；　had　bitten　her　in　the　ear。

She　was　a　wild　and　naughty　girl；　and　the　mother　called　her　an　ugly

thing；　and　had　not　time　to　kill　Gerda。

　　　　〃She　shall　play　with　me；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；　〃she

shall　give　me　her　muff　and　her　pretty　dress；　and　sleep　with　me　in　my

bed。〃　And　then　she　bit　her　mother　again；　and　made　her　spring　in　the

air；　and　jump　about；　and　all　the　robbers　laughed；　and　said；　〃See　how

she　is　dancing　with　her　young　cub。〃

　　　　〃I　will　have　a　ride　in　the　coach；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；

and　she　would　have　her　own　way；　for　she　was　so　self…willed　and

obstinate。

　　　　She　and　Gerda　seated　themselves　in　the　coach；　and　drove　away；　over

stumps　and　stones；　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　The　little

robber…girl　was　about　the　same　size　as　Gerda；　but　stronger；　she　had

broader　shoulders　and　a　darker　skin；　her　eyes　were　quite　black；　and

she　had　a　mournful　look。　She　clasped　little　Gerda　round　the　waist；　and

said；…

　　　　〃They　shall　not　kill　you　as　long　as　you　don't　make　us　vexed　with

you。　I　suppose　you　are　a　princess。〃

　　　　〃No；〃　said　Gerda；　and　then　she　told　her　all　her　history；　and　how

fond　she　was　of　little　Kay。

　　　　The　robber…girl　looked　earnestly　at　her；　nodded　her　head　slightly；

and　said；　〃They　sha'nt　kill　you；　even　if　I　do　get　angry　with　you；

for　I　will　do　it　myself。〃　And　then　she　wiped　Gerda's　eyes；　and　stuck

her　own　hands　in　the　beautiful　muff　which　was　so　soft　and　warm。

　　　　The　coach　stopped　in　the　courtyard　of　a　robber's　castle；　the　walls

of　which　were　cracked　from　top　to　bottom。　Ravens　and　crows　flew　in　and

out　of　the　holes　and　crevices；　while　great　bulldogs；　either　of　which

looked　as　if　it　could　swallow　a　man；　were　jumping　about；　but　they　were

not　allowed　to　bark。　In　the　large　and　smoky　hall　a　bright　fire　was

burning　on　the　stone　floor。　There　was　no　chimney；　so　the　smoke　went　up

to　the　ceiling；　and　found　a　way　out　for　itself。　Soup　was　boiling　in

a　large　cauldron；　and　hares　and　rabbits　were　roasting　on　the　spit。

　　　　〃You　shall　sleep　with　me　and　all　my　little　animals　to…night；〃　said

the　robber…girl；　after　they　had　had　something　to　eat　and　drink。　So　she

took　Gerda　to　a　corner　of　the　hall；　where　some　straw　and　carpets

were　laid　down。　Above　them；　on　laths　and　perches；　were　more　than　a

hundred　pigeons；　who　all　seemed　to　be　asleep；　although　they　moved

slightly　when　the　two　little　girls　came　near　them。　〃These　all　belong

to　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　and　she　seized　the　nearest　to　her；

held　it　by　the　feet；　and　shook　it　till　it　flapped　its　wings。　〃Kiss

it；〃　cried　she；　flapping　it　in　Gerda's　face。　〃There　sit　the

wood…pigeons；〃　continued　she；　pointing　to　a　number　of　laths　and　a　cage

which　had　been　fixed　into　the　walls；　near　one　of　the　openings。　〃Both

rascals　would　fly　away　directly；　if　they　were　not　closely　locked　up。

And　here　is　my　old　sweetheart　'Ba；'　and　she　dragged　out　a　reindeer

by　the　horn；　he　wore　a　bright　copper　ring　round　his　neck；　and　was　tied

up。　〃We　are　obliged　to　hold　him　tight　too；　or　else　he　would　run　away

from　us　also。　I　tickle　his　neck　every　evening　with　my　sharp　knife；

which　frightens　him　very　much。〃　And　then　the　robber…girl　drew　a　long

knife　from　a　chink　in　the　wall；　and　let　it　slide　gently　over　the

reindeer's　neck。　The　poor　animal　began　to　kick；　and　the　little

robber…girl　laughed；　and　pulled　down　Gerda　into　bed　with　her。

　　　　〃Will　you　have　that　knife　with　you　while　you　are　asleep？〃　asked

Gerda；　looking　at　it　in　great　fright。

　　　　〃I　always　sleep　with　the　knife　by　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl。　〃No

one　knows　what　may　happen。　But　now　tell　me　again　all　about　little　Kay；

and　why　you　went　out　into　the　world。〃

　　　　Then　Gerda　repeated　her　story　over　again；　while　the　wood…pigeons

in　the　cage　over　her　cooed；　and　the　other　pigeons　slept。　The　little

robber…girl　put　one　arm　across　Gerda's　neck；　and　held　the　knife　in　the

other；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　and　snoring。　But　Gerda　could　not　close

her　eyes　at　all；　she　knew　not　whether　she　was　to　live　or　die。　The

robbers　sat　round　the　fire；　singing　and　drinking；