THE SNOW QUEEN

THE SNOW QUEEN,标签：剑桥少儿英语故事,少儿英语小故事,http://www.xuehuiba.com

    "That's nothing to me，" said little Gerda. "That does not concern me." And then off she ran to the further end of the garden.

    The gate was locked， but she shook the rusted bolt till it was loosened， and the gate opened； and little Gerda ran off barefooted into the wide world. She looked round her thrice， but no one followed her. At last she could run no longer； she sat down on a large stone， and when she looked about her， she saw that the summer had passed； it was late in the autumn， but that one could not remark in the beautiful garden， where there was always sunshine， and where there were flowers the whole year round.

    "Dear me， how long I have staid！" said Gerda. "Autumn is come. I must not rest any longer." And she got up to go further.

    Oh， how tender and wearied her little feet were！ All around it looked so cold and raw： the long willow-leaves were quite yellow， and the fog dripped from them like water； one leaf fell after the other： the sloes only stood full of fruit， which set one's teeth on edge. Oh， how dark and comfortless it was in the dreary world！

    FOURTH STORY. The Prince and Princess

    Gerda was obliged to rest herself again， when， exactly opposite to her， a large Raven came hopping over the white snow. He had long been looking at Gerda and shaking his head； and now he said， "Caw！ Caw！" Good day！ Good day！ He could not say it better； but he felt a sympathy for the little girl， and asked her where she was going all alone. The word "alone" Gerda understood quite well， and felt how much was expressed by it； so she told the Raven her whole history， and asked if he had not seen Kay.

    The Raven nodded very gravely， and said， "It may be——it may be！"

    "What， do you really think so？" cried the little girl； and she nearly squeezed the Raven to death， so much did she kiss him.

    "Gently， gently，" said the Raven. "I think I know； I think that it may be little Kay. But now he has forgotten you for the Princess."

    "Does he live with a Princess？" asked Gerda.

    "Yes——listen，" said the Raven； "but it will be difficult for me to speak your language. If you understand the Raven language I can tell you better."

    "No， I have not learnt it，" said Gerda； "but my grandmother understands it， and she can speak gibberish too. I wish I had learnt it."

    "No matter，" said the Raven； "I will tell you as well as I can； however， it will be bad enough." And then he told all he knew.

    "In the kingdom where we now are there lives a Princess， who is extraordinarily clever； for she has read all the newspapers in the whole world， and has forgotten them again——so clever is she. She was lately， it is said， sitting on her throne——which is not very amusing after all——when she began humming an old tune， and it was just， 'Oh， why should I not be married？' "That song is not without its meaning，' said she， and so then she was determined to marry； but she would have a husband who knew how to give an answer when he was spoken to——not one who looked only as if he were a great personage， for that is so tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed together； and when they heard her intention， all were very pleased， and said， 'We are very glad to hear it； it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You may believe every word I say， said the Raven； "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free， and it was she who told me all this.

    "The newspapers appeared forthwith with a border of hearts and the initials of the Princess； and therein you might read that every good-looking young man was at liberty to come to the palace and speak to the Princess； and he who spoke in such wise as showed he felt himself at home there， that one the Princess would choose for her husband.

    "Yes， Yes，" said the Raven， "you may believe it； it is as true as I am sitting here. People came in crowds； there was a crush and a hurry， but no one was successful either on the first or second day. They could all talk well enough when they were out in the street； but as soon as they came inside the palace gates， and saw the guard richly dressed in silver， and the lackeys in gold on the staircase， and the large illuminated saloons， then they were abashed； and when they stood before the throne on which the Princess was sitting， all they could do was to repeat the last word they had uttered， and to hear it again did not interest her very much. It was just as if the people within were under a charm， and had fallen into a trance till they came out again into the street； for then——oh， then——they could chatter enough. There was a whole row of them standing from the town-gates to the palace. I was there myself to look，" said the Raven. "They grew hungry and thirsty； but from the palace they got nothing whatever， not even a glass of water. Some of the cleverest， it is true， had taken bread and butter with them： but none shared it with his neighbor， for each thought， 'Let him look hungry， and then the Princess won't have him."'

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