The Snow Queen

Fourth story — The prince and princess.

Gerda had to take another rest. A large crow sat opposite herrest; then a large crow was hopping on the snow opposite where she sat, after sitting there for a long while, looking at her and waggling its head. Then it hopped across the snow andhead; it said: ‘Caw! Caw! Good day! Good day!caw! Goodday! goodday!’ That was the best it could manage, but it meant so well by the little girl. It askedwas so well-meaning with the little girl and it asked her where she was goingheading alone in the wide world. Gerda understood the word ‘alone’ perfectly well, and knew how much it meant. SoThe word ‘alone’ Gerda understood perfectly well and was well aware how much meaning lay in it, and so she told the crow her whole life story and asked if it hadabout her entire life and asked it if it hadn’t seen Kay.

And the crow nodded very thoughtfully and said: ‘Could well be! Couldcould well be!’

‘What, do you really think so!’ the little girl shouted and almost squeezed the crow to death, so eagerlyfervently did she kiss it.

‘Steady now, steady now!’ the crow said. ‘I think I know, – I think it might be little Kay! Butbut now he’s probably forgotten you for the princess!’

‘Does he live with a princess?’ Gerda asked.

‘Yes, listen!’ the crow said, ‘but it’s hard for me to talk your language. If you understand crow language, I can tell you better!’

‘No, I’ve not learnt it!’ Gerda said, ‘but grandmother knew it, and she knew nonsense language too. If only I had learnt it!’

‘No matter,’ the crow said, ‘I’ll tell you as best I can, but it won’t be all that good even so,’ and then he told her what he knew.

‘In this kingdom there lives an immensely clever princess. Butthe kingdom we now find ourselves there lives a princess who is so immensely clever, but then she has has also read all the newspapers in the worldthat exist in the world, and forgotten them again—sheagain, she is that clever. The other day she’s sitting on the throne—which isn’tthrone, and that is not all that much fun, people say—whensay, when she happens to start humming this very tune:a tune that is precisely this one: “Why shouldn’t I get married!” “Hey, that’s not a bad idea,”‘Why shouldn’t I get married!’ ‘Hey, that’s not a bad idea,’ she says. Sosays, and so she wanted to get married. But she wanted a husband whomarried, but she wanted to have a husband that knew how to reply when spoken to, whoanswer back when talked to, one that didn’t just stand there looking fine, for that’s so boring. SoTherefore she had all her ladies-in-waiting called together. Whendrummed together, and when they heard what she wanted, they were so pleased.pleased, “I like this!” they said.said, “I was thinking something similar only the other day!” – Believe you me, every word I’m telling you is the truth!’ the crow said. ‘I have a tame sweetheart who is free to walk around the palace, and she’s told me everything!’

His sweetheart was a crow too, of course, for birds of a feather flock together, which in this case always means a crow.

‘The newspapers immediately came out edged with hearts and the princess’s monogram, a design made from her initials. Peoplemonogram; there people could read that any handsome young manyoung man who was handsome was free to come come up to the palace and speak with the princess. She would marryprincess, and the one who spoke best and sounded as if he belonged there!in such a way that one could hear he belonged there, and who spoke best, the princess would take as her husband! – Yes, yes!’ the crow said, ‘Believe‘believe you me, it is as certain as I’m sitting here! Peoplehere, people flocked to the palace. Therepalace, there was such a hustle and bustle, but no one succeededthere was no success on either the first or the second day. They could all speak perfectly wellAll of them were well able to speak when they were out in the street. Butstreet, but the moment they entered the palace gate, they were astonished by the lifeguards—the royal guards—all dressed in silver, the footmen on the stairs dressed in gold,gate and saw the lifeguards all clad in silver, and on the staircase the footmen clad in gold and the huge, brightly lit halls. Asilluminated halls, they were taken aback; and as soon as they stood before the princess on her throne,were before the throne where the princess was sitting, all they could do was repeat her last word. Shemanage was to repeat the last word she had said, and she wasn’t interested in hearing that again. It was as if they had taken snuff, powdered tobacco,people in there had taken snuff and it had fallen onto their stomachs. They seemed dazeddropped onto their stomachs and they had fallen into a trance until they were back in the street—yes,street, yes, then they could talk all right. There was a long line right from the city gate to the palace. I was in there to have a look myself!’ the crow said. ‘They grew both hungry and thirsty,thirsty , but they didn’t get so much as a glass of lukewarm water from the palace. The wisest had, admittedly, brought some sandwiches. Butof them had admittedly taken some sandwiches with them, but they didn’t share share them with the man next to them, for they thought: Just let him look hungry—thenhungry, then the princess won’t take him!’

‘But Kay, little Kay!’ Gerda asked. ‘When did he come? Was he among all those many people?’

‘Be patient! Be patient! We’rebe patient! we’re just coming to him! Onit was on the third day day when a little fellow turned up, without horse or carriage. He marchedcarriage, marching quite cheerfully right up to the palace. Hispalace; his eyes shone like yours, and yours, he had lovely long hair—but his clothes were poor!hair, but apart from that poor clothes!’

‘That was Kay!’ Gerda shouted with joy. ‘Oh, so now I’ve found him!’ and she clapped her hands.

‘He had a small pack on his backsmall knapsack on his back!’ the crow said.

‘No, that must have been his sledge!’ Gerda said, ‘for he had a sledge with him when he left!’

‘That may well be!’ the crow said.said, ‘I didn’t look all that closely! Butbut I know from my tame sweetheart told me that he wasn’t at all overawedthat when he came through the palace gate. He saw the royal guardsin at the palace gate and saw the lifeguards all in silver and the footmen on the stairs all in gold. Heon the staircase the footmen all in gold, he wasn’t the slightest bit overawed, he nodded and said to them: “It must be boring standing on the stairs, I think I’d rather go inside!” There he came to halls glittering with light. Privy councillors, the royal advisers,light; privy councillors and excellencies walked barefoot, carrying gold dishes. Thearound on their bare feet and carried gold dishes; the more ceremony the better! Hishis boots creaked so terribly loudly, but he wasn’t afraid!’

‘That’s Kay all right!’ Gerda said, ‘I know he had new boots, I’ve heard them creaking in grandmother’s room!’

‘Well, they certainly did creak!’ the crow said. ‘The young mansaid, and he walked cheerfully right up to the princess, who satwas sitting on a pearl as large as a spinning wheel, a wheel used to spin thread.spinning wheel; All the ladies-in-waiting stood in line with their maids and their maids’ maids. and all the ladies-in-waiting with their maids, and maid’s maids, So did all the lords-in-waiting, with their servants, their servants’ servants, and their and all the lords-in-waiting with their servants and servants’ servants with their pages, young attendants.pages stood lined up; The and the closer they stood toby the door, the prouder they looked. The servants’ servants’ page, who always wears slippers, is almost impossible to look at, so proudly does he stand at the door!’

‘That must be horrible!’ little Gerda said. ‘And Kay won the princess even so then!’

‘If I hadn’t been a crow, I’d have taken her myself, despite the fact that I’m engaged. He must have spoken as well as I do when I speak crow’s language. My tame sweetheart told me so.I’m able to when I speak crow’s language, I have it from my tame sweetheart. He was cheerful and charming; he hadn’t come at all to propose, only to hear the princess’s cleverness, which he liked, and she liked him in return!’

‘Oh yes! It’s Kay all right!’ Gerda said, ‘he was so clever he could do fractions in his head!mental arithmetic with fractions! – Oh, won’t you guide me into the palace!’

‘Yes, that’s easily said!’ the crow replied. ‘But how do we doset about it? I’ll have a word with my tame sweetheart. Shesweetheart; she can surely advise us,us; for I must tell you:you that you, such a little girl as youyourself, will never be allowed rightto get properly inside!’

‘Oh yes, I will!’ Gerda said. ‘When Kay hears that I am here, he will come out immediately and fetch me!’

‘Wait for me at the stile over there—the steps across the fence!stile over there!’ the crow said, waggled its head and flew off.

The crow didn’t return until darkness had fallen: ‘Rah! Rah!rah!’ it said. ‘She sends you her very best wishes! AndI’m to give you her many greetings! and here’s a small piece of bread for you. Sheyou, she took it from the kitchen, where there’s plenty,plenty of bread, and you must be hungry! – It’s not possible for you to get inside the palace, for you are barefoot; the royal guards in silver and footmen in gold wouldn’t allow it. Butlifeguards in silver and footmen in gold wouldn’t allow it; but don’t cry, we’ll get you up there even so. My sweetheart knows of some stairs at the backbackstairs that lead up to the bedroom, and she knows where to get hold of the key!’

And they went into the garden, along a tree-lined pathinto the avenue where one leaf fell after another. Whenthe other, and when the palace lights were put out, one after another,the other, the crow led Gerda to a backdoor that was slightly open.ajar.

Oh, how Gerda’s heart pounded with worry and longing! Itanxiety and longing! it was as if she was about to do something bad. Yetbad, and in fact all she wanted wanted to do was to find out if it really was little Kay. Yes,Kay; yes, it had to be him! She pictured his intelligent eyes and long hair so vividly. Shehim; she pictured so vividly his intelligent eyes, his long hair; she could clearly see his smile, ashow he smiled, like he did when they sat back home under the roses. Of course, she thought, he wouldHe would of course be glad to see her, to hear how farhear about the long way she had come for his sake, and how sadknow how sorrowful everyone at home had been when he didn’t return. Oh, she felt both joy and fear.

Now they were on the stairs. A little lamp burned on a cupboard. Instaircase; a little lamp was burning on a cupboard; in the middle of the floor stood the tame crow. Itcrow and it turned its head in all directions and looked atobserved Gerda, who curtseyed, as her grandmother had taught her.

‘My fiancé has said such nice things about you, little miss,’ the tame crow said, ‘your life story—your Vita, as it is called—Vita, as it is called, is also extremely moving! – If you will take the lamp, I will lead the way. We will take the direct route, for we won’t meetwill not encounter anyone there!’

‘I think I can hear someone right behind us!’ Gerda said. Something swished past her, like shadows along the wall:Gerda said, and it swished past her; it was like shadows along the wall, horses with flowing manes and thin legs, hunting lads, gentlemen and ladies on horseback.

‘It’s only the dreams!’ the crow said. ‘They’ve come to take the royal household’s thoughts out hunting. That’s a good thing, as you can get a better look atsaid, ‘they’ve come to fetch the thoughts of the royal household household out hunting, a good thing as you can then more easily observe them in bed. But But let me see, if you gain glory and honour, make sure you show some gratitude!that you then display a grateful heart!’

‘That’s nothing to talk about!’ said the crow from the forest.

They now entered the first hall, lined with rose-pink satin andit was of rose-pink satin with imitation flowers up the walls. The dreams shot past them already, but so fastwalls; here the dreams already shot past them, but at such a pace that Gerda did not catch a glimpse of the royal household. Each hall was finer than the one before. Yes, it really took your breath away! Nowprevious one, yes, it really took one’s breath away, and now they were in the bedroom. Here the ceiling was like a tall palm tree with leaves of glass, precious glass. Inglass, and in the middle of the floor two beds hung from a golden stalk, each like a lily. One was white, and the princess lay in it. Theon a golden stalk hung two beds, each of which looked like a lily: The one was white, in it the princess lay; the other was red, and thereit was here that Gerda was going to look for little Kay. She pushedKay; she turned aside one of the red leaves and saw the brown backthen she saw a brown nape of a neck. – Oh, it was Kay! – She called his name out loud andquite loud, held the lamp closer. The dreams swishedcloser to him – the dreams swished on horseback back into the room on horseback. He– he woke up, turned his head and—andand – – it wasn’t little Kay.

It was only the back of the prince’s neck that resembled him, although he was young and handsome. And the princess looked out from the white lily-bed and asked what was happening. Then little Gerda cried and told them her entire story and everything that the crows had done for her.

‘You poor little thing!’ the prince and princess said. Theysaid, and they praised the crows and said they weren’t at all angry, but the crowsthe slightest bit angry with them, but they shouldn’t make a habit of it. They werewere, though, to have a reward, though.reward.

‘Do you wish to fly freely?’ the princess asked, ‘or would you like a permanent position as court crows, with everything left over in the kitchen?’

And both the crows bowed and asked for a permanent position; for they thought of their old age. ‘It’s a good idea to have something for later life,’age and said, ‘it’s a good idea to have something for later life’, as they put it.

The prince got out of bed and let Gerda sleep in it. HeAnd the prince got out of bed and let Gerda sleep in it, he could not do more. She folded her small hands and thought: ‘What good creatures humans and animals are!’ Then‘How good creatures humans and animals are,’ and then she closed her eyes and slept soundly. All the dreams came flying in once more. Nowmore, and then they looked like God’s angels, pulling a small sledge with Kay sitting on it and nodding. But all this was only a dream, which wasand they pulled a small sledge, and on it sat Kay and nodded; – but all of this was merely dreaming, which is why it had all disappeared disappeared again when she woke up.

The next day she was dressed from top to toe in silk and velvet. Shevelvet; she was invited to stay at the palace and enjoy herself. Buthave a pleasant time, but all she asked for was was to have a small carriage with a horse,horse in front and a pair of small boots. Thenboots, and then she would be off off again into the wide world again world to find Kay.

SheAnd she was given both boots and a muff, a warm cover for her hands. She boots and a muff; she was so finely clothed! When she was readyclothed, and when she wanted to set off, a new coach of pure gold stood at the door. The coat of arms of the prince and princesswas standing at the door; the arms of the prince and princess shone onfrom it like a star. Thestar; coachman, servants and postilions—the riders guiding the carriage horses, for there were also postilions—sat wearingpostilions, for there were also postilions, sat dressed in golden crowns. The prince and princess helped her into the carriage themselves and wished her every success. The forest crow, which had now got married, came along foraccompanied them the first twenty miles or so. Itso; it sat next to her, for it couldn’t bear travelling backwards. Theendure travelling backwards; the other crow stood at the gate and flapped its wings. It didn’t come along becausewings, it didn’t accompany them, for it had a headache, now that itsince it now had a permanent position and had eaten too much. Inside, the coach was lined with sugared pretzels, and there were various types of fruit and gingerbread in the seats.

‘Goodbye! goodbye!’ the prince and princess cried out, and little Gerda cried, and the crow cried. Thatcried; – that is how the first many miles passed. Then the crow toopassed; then the crow also said goodbye, and that was the hardest farewell. Itfarewell; it flew up into a tree and flapped its black wings as long as it could still see the carriage, which gleamed just like bright sunshine.