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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
518
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v01 - A to Apu
” said the Mother-
Duck; and she whetted her beak, for she too wanted the eel's
head. '
"Only use your legs,” she said. «See that you can bustle
((
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about, and bend your necks before the old Duck yonder. She's
the grandest of all here; she's of Spanish blood -- that's why
she's so fat; and do you see? she has a red rag around her leg;
that's something very, very fine, and the greatest mark of honor
a duck can have: it means that one does not want to lose her,
and that she's known by the animals and by men too. Hurry!
hurry! - don't turn in your toes, a well brought-up duck turns
it's toes quite out, just like father and mother,--so! Now bend
your necks and say “Quack! »»
And they did so; but the other ducks round about looked at
them, and said quite boldly,– "Look there! now we're to have
this crowd too! as if there were not enough of us already! And
-- fie! -how that Duckling yonder looks: we won't stand that!
And at once one Duck flew at him, and bit him in the neck.
“Let him alone,” said the mother: "he is not doing anything
to any one. ”
“Yes, but he's too large and odd,” said the Duck who had
bitten him, “and so he must be put down.
« Those are pretty children the mother has," said the old Duck
with the rag round her leg. “They're all pretty but that one;
that is rather unlucky. I wish she could have that one over again. ”
“That cannot be done, my lady,” said the Mother-Duck. "He
is not pretty, but he has a really good temper, and swims as well
as any of the others; yes, I may even say it, a little better. I
think he will grow up pretty, perhaps in time he will grow a lit-
tle smaller; he lay too long in the egg, and therefore he has not
quite the right shape. ” And she pinched him in the neck, and
smoothed his feathers. "Besides, he is a drake,” she said, "and
so it does not matter much. I think he will be very strong: he
makes his way already. ”
« The other ducklings are graceful enough,” said the old Duck.
“Make yourself at home; and if you find an eel's head, you may
bring it to me. ”
And now they were at home. But the poor Duckling who
had crept last out of the egg, and looked so ugly, was bitten
and pushed and made fun of, as much by the ducks as by the
chickens.
“ He is too big! ” they all said. And the turkey-cock, who
had been born with spurs, and so thought he was an emperor,
blew himself up, like a ship in full sail, and bore straight down
upon him; then he gobbled and grew quite red in the face. The
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poor Duckling did not know where he dared stand or walk; he
was quite unhappy because he looked ugly, and was the sport of
the whole duck-yard.
So it went on the first day; and then it grew worse and
worse. The poor Duckling was hunted about by every one; even
his brothers and sisters were quite angry with him, and said,
“If the cat would only catch you, you ugly creature! ” And the
ducks bit him, and the chickens beat him, and the girl who had
to feed the poultry kicked at him with her foot.
III - OUT ON THE MOOR
Then he ran and flew over the fence, and the little birds in
the bushes flew up in fear.
“That is because I am so ugly! ” thought the Duckling; and
he shut his eyes, but flew on further; and so he came out into
the great moor, where the wild ducks lived. Here he lay the
whole night long, he was so tired and sad.
Toward morning the wild ducks flew up, and looked at their
new mate.
"What sort of a one are you? ” they asked; and the Duckling
turned about to each, and bowed as well as he could. “You are
really very ugly! ” said the Wild Ducks. “But that is all the
same to us, so long as you do not marry into our family. ”
Poor thing! he certainly did not think of marrying, and only
dared ask leave to lie among the reeds and drink some of the
swamp water.
There he lay two whole days; then came thither two wild
geese, or, more truly, two wild ganders. It was not long since
each had crept out of an egg, and that's why they were so saucy.
“Listen, comrade,” said one of them. “You're so ugly that I
like you. Will you go with us, and become a bird of passage ?
Near here is another moor, where are a few sweet lovely wild
geese, all unmarried, and all able to say Quack! You've a
chance of making your fortune, ugly as you are. ”
“Piff! paff! ” sounded through the air; and both the ganders
fell down dead in the reeds, and the water became blood-red.
Piff! paff! ” it sounded again, and the whole flock of wild geese
flew up from the reeds. And then there was another report. A
great hunt was going on. The gunners lay around in the moor,
and some even sitting up in the branches of the trees,
were
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which spread far over the reeds. The blue smoke rose like
clouds in among the dark trees, and hung over the water; and
the hunting dogs came-splash, splash! - into the mud, and the
rushes and reeds bent down on every side. That was a fright
for the poor Duckling! He turned his head to put it under his
wing; and at that very moment a frightful great dog stood close
by the Duckling. His tongue hung far out of his mouth, and
his eyes glared horribly. He put his nose close to the Duckling,
showed his sharp teeth, and-splash, splash! - on he went with-
out seizing it.
“Oh, Heaven be thanked! ” sighed the Duckling. “I am so
ugly that even the dog does not like to bite me! ”
And so he lay quite quiet, while the shots rattled through the
reeds and gun after gun was fired. At last, late in the day, all
was still: but the poor little thing did not dare to rise up; he
waited several hours still before he looked around, and then hur-
ried away out of the moor as fast as he could. He ran on over
field and meadow; there was a storm, so that he had hard work
to get away.
IV — IN THE PEASANT'S HUT
Towards evening the Duckling came to a peasant's poor little
hut: it was so tumbled down that it did not itself know on
which side it should fall; and that's why it stood up. The storm
whistled around the Duckling in such a way that he had to sit
down to keep from blowing away; and the wind blew worse and
worse. Then he noticed that one of the hinges of the door
had given way, and the door hung so slanting that he could slip
through the crack into the room; and that is what he did.
Here lived an old woman, with her Cat and her Hen. And
the Cat, whom she called Sonnie, could arch his back and purr;
he could even give out sparks - but for that, one had to stroke
his fur the wrong way. The Hen had quite small, short legs,
and therefore she was called Chickabiddy Shortshanks; she laid
good eggs, and the woman loved her as her own child.
In the morning they noticed at once the strange Duckling,
and the Cat began to purr and the Hen to cluck.
“What's this ? ” said the woman, and looked all around; but
she could not see well, and therefore she thought the Duckling
was a fat duck that had strayed. « This is a rare prize! ” she
said. "Now I shall have duck's eggs. I hope it is not a drake.
We must try that. ”
11-33
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(
And so the Duckling was taken on trial for three weeks, but
no eggs came. And the Cat was master of the house, and the
Hen was the lady, and always said "We and the world! ” for they
thought they were half the world, and by far the better half. It
seemed to the Duckling that one might have another mind, but
the Hen would not allow it.
"Can you lay eggs? ”
«No. ”
« Then will you hold your tongue! ”
And the Cat said, “Can you curve your back, and purr, and
give out sparks ? ”
«No.
« Then you will please have no opinion of your own when
sensible folks are speaking! ”
And the Duckling sat in a corner and was in low spirits; then
he began to think of the fresh air and the sunshine; and he was
seized with such a strange longing to swim on the water, that he
could not help telling the Hen of it.
What are you thinking of ? ” cried the Hen. “You have
nothing to do, that's why you have these fancies. Lay eggs, or
purr, and they will pass over. ”
“But it is so charming to swim in the water," said the Duck-
ling, “so nice to feel it go over one's head, and to dive down to
the bottom ! »
“Yes, that's a fine thing, truly,” said the Hen. “You are clean
gone crazy. Ask the Cat about it, — he's the cleverest thing I
ask him if he likes to swim in the water, or to dive
down: I won't speak about myself. Ask our mistress herself, the
old woman; no one in the world knows more than she.
think she wants to swim, and let the water close above her head ? ”
«You don't understand me," said the Duckling.
“We don't understand you! Then pray who is to understand
you? You surely don't pretend to be cleverer than the Cat and
the woman — I won't say anything of myself. Don't make a fool
of yourself, child, and thank your Maker for all the good you
have. Are you not come into a warm room, and have you not
folks about you from whom you can learn something? But you
are a goose, and it is not pleasant to have you about. You may
believe me, I speak for your good. I tell you things you won't
like, and by that one may always know one's true friends! Only
take care that you learn to lay eggs, or to purr, and to give out
sparks! »
know,
Do you
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“I think I will go out into the wide world,” said the Duckling.
“Yes, do go, replied the Hen.
And so the Duckling went away. He swam on the water, and
dived, but he was shunned by every creature because he was
so ugly.
v — WHAT BECAME OF THE DUCKLING
Now came the fall of the year. The leaves in the wood
turned yellow and brown; the wind caught them so that they
danced about, and up in the air it was very cold. The clouds
hung low, heavy with hail and snow-flakes, and on the fence
stood the raven, crying “Croak! croak! ” for mere cold; yes, one
could freeze fast if one thought about it. The poor little Duck-
ling certainly had not a good time. One evening — the sun was
just going down in fine style — there came a whole flock of great
handsome birds out of the bushes; they were shining white, with
long, supple necks; they were swans. They uttered a very
strange cry, spread forth their glorious great wings, and flew
away from that cold region to warmer lands, to fair open lakes.
They mounted so high, so high! and the ugly Duckling had such
a strange feeling as he saw them! He turned round and round
in the water like a wheel, stretched out his neck towards them,
and uttered a cry, so high, so strange, that he was frightened as
he heard it.
Oh! he could not forget those beautiful, happy birds; and as
soon as he could see them no longer, he dived down to the very
bottom, and when he came up again, he was quite beside himself.
He did not know what the birds were, nor where they were flying
to; but he loved them more than he had ever loved any one.
He did not envy them at all. How could he think of wishing
to have such loveliness as they had ? He would have been glad
if only the ducks would have let him be among them — the poor,
ugly creature!
And the winter grew so cold, so cold! The Duckling had to
swim about in the water, to keep it from freezing over; but
every night the hole in which he swam about became smaller
and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy cover sounded; and
the Duckling had to use his legs all the time to keep the hole
from freezing tight. At last he became worn out, and lay quite
still, and thus froze fast in the ice.
Early in the morning a peasant came by, and found him
there; he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice to pieces, and car-
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
ried the Duckling home to his wife. Then the Duckling came
to himself again. The children wanted to play with him; but
he thought they wanted to hurt him, and in his terror he flew
up into the milk-pan, so that the milk spilled over into the
room. The woman screamed and shook her hand in the air, at
which the Duckling flew down into the tub where they kept the
butter, and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How he
looked then! The woman screamed, and struck at him with the
fire tongs; the children tumbled over one another as they tried
to catch the Duckling; and they laughed and they screamed ! -
well was it that the door stood open, and the poor creature was
able to slip out between the bushes into the newly-fallen snow -
there he lay quite worn out.
But it would be too sad if I were to tell all the misery and
care which the Duckling had to bear in the hard winter. He
lay out on the moor among the reeds, when the sun began to
shine again and the larks to sing; it was a beautiful spring.
Then all at once the Duckling could flap his wings: they
beat the air more strongly than before, and bore him stoutly
away; and before he well knew it, he found himself in a great
garden, where the elder-trees stood in flower, and bent their
long green branches down to the winding canal, and the lilacs
smelt sweet. Oh, here it was beautiful, fresh, and springlike!
and from the thicket came three glorious white swans; they
rustled their wings, and sat lightly on the water. The Duckling
knew the splendid creatures, and felt a strange sadness.
"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will
beat me, because I, that so ugly, dare to come near them.
But it is all the same. Better to be killed by them than to be
chased by ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by the
girl who takes care of the poultry yard, and to suffer hunger in
winter! ” And he flew out into the water, and swam toward the
beautiful swans: these looked at him, and came sailing down
upon him 'with outspread wings. “Kill me! ” said the poor
creature, and bent his head down upon the water, and waited for
death. But what saw he in the clear water ? He saw below him
his own image; and lo! it was no longer a clumsy dark-gray
bird, ugly and hateful to look at, but -a swan!
It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard, if one has
only lain in a swan's egg.
He felt quite glad at all the need and hard times he had
borne; now he could joy in his good luck in all the brightness
am
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that was round him. And the great swans swam round him
and stroked him with their beaks.
Into the garden came little children, who threw bread and
corn into the water; and the youngest cried, “There is a new
one! ) and the other children shouted, “Yes, a new
one has
come! ” And they clapped their hands and danced about, and
ran to their father and mother; and bread and cake were thrown
into the water; and they all said, “The new one is the most
beautiful of all! so young and so handsome! ” and the old swans
bowed their heads before him.
Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his
wings, for he did not know what to do; he was so happy, and
yet not at all proud, for a good heart is never proud. He
thought how he had been driven about and mocked and despised;
and now he heard them all saying that he was the most beautiful
of all beautiful birds. And the lilacs bent their branches straight
down into the water before him, and the sun shone warm and
mild. Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, and
cried from the depths of his heart:-
"I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the
Ugly Duckling. ”
WHAT THE MOON SAW
H*
EAR what the Moon told me:
“I have seen a cadet promoted to be an officer, and dress-
ing himself for the first time in his gorgeous uniform; I
have seen young girls in bridal attire, and the prince's young
bride in her wedding dress: but I never saw such bliss as that
of a little four-year-old girl whom I watched this evening. She
had got a new blue dress, and a new pink hat. The finery was
just put on, and all were calling for light, for the moonbeams
that came through the window were not bright enough. They
wanted very different lights from that. There stood the little
girl, stiff as a doll, keeping her arms anxiously off her dress, and
her fingers stretched wide apart. Oh! what happiness beamed
from her eyes, from her whole face. "To-morrow you may go
to walk in the dress,' said the mother; and the little one looked
up at her hat and down again at her dress, and smiled blissfully.
Mother,' she cried, what will the little dogs think when they
see me in all these fine clothes ? ) »
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THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
T"
The Top and the Ball lay in a drawer among some other toys;
and so the Top said to the Ball:-“Shall we not be lovers,
since we live together in the same drawer ? ”
But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco leather, and
thought herself as good as any fine lady, had nothing to say to
such a thing The next day came the little boy who owned the
toys: he painted the Top red and yellow, and drove a brass nail
into it; and the Top looked splendidly when he turned round.
« Look at me! ” he cried to the Ball.
«What do you say
now? Shall we not be lovers? We go so nicely together? You
jump and I dance! No one could be happier than we two
should be. ”
«Indeed! Do you think so ? ” said the Ball. "Perhaps you
do not know that my papa and my mamma were morocco slip-
pers, and that I have a cork inside me ? »
“Yes, but I'am made of mahogany,” said the Top; "and the
mayor himself turned me. He has a turning-lathe of his own,
and it amuses him greatly. ”
“Can I depend on that ? ” asked the Ball.
"May I never be whipped again if it is not true! ” replied
the Top.
"You talk well for yourself,” said the Ball, “but I cannot do
what you ask. I am
I am as good as half engaged to a swallow:
every time I leap up into the air he sticks his head out of the
nest and says, “Will you ? will you ? ' And now I have silently
said “Yes,' and that is as good as being half engaged; but I
promise I will never forget you. ”
“Much good that will do! ” said the Top.
And they spoke no more to each other.
Next day the Ball was taken out. The Top saw how she
flew high into the air, like a bird; at last one could no longer
see her.
Each time she came back again, but always gave a
high leap when she touched the earth; and that came about
either from her longing, or because she had a cork in her body.
The ninth time the Ball stayed away and did not come back
again; and the boy looked and looked, but she was gone.
"I know very well where she is! " sighed the Top. «She is
in the Swallow's nest, and has married the Swallow ! »
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519
The more the Top thought of this, the more he longed for
the Ball. Just because he could not get her, he fell more in
love with her. That she had taken someone else, that was
another thing. So the Top danced around and hummed, but
always thought of the Ball, which grew more and more lovely in
his fancy. Thus many years went by,- and now it was an old
love.
And the Top was no longer young. But one day he was
gilt all over; never had he looked so handsome; he was now a
golden Top, and sprang till he hummed again. Yes, that was
something! But all at once he sprang too high, and — he was
gone!
They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but he was not
to be found.
Where was he?
He had jumped into the dust-box, where all kinds of things
were lying: cabbage stalks, sweepings, and gravel that had fallen
down from the roof.
«Here's a nice place to lie in! The gilding will soon leave
me here. And what a rabble I've come amongst ! ”
And then he looked askance at a long cabbage stalk that was
much too near him, and at a curious round thing like an old
apple; but it was not an apple - it was an old Ball, which had
lain for years in the roof-gutter and was soaked through with
water.
« Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with whom one can
talk! ” said the little Ball, and looked at the gilt Top. “I am
really morocco, sewn by a girl's hands, and have a cork inside
me; but no one would think it to look at me. I was very near
marrying a swallow, but I fell into the gutter on the roof, and
have laid there full five years, and am quite soaked through.
That's a long time, you may believe me, for a young girl. ”
But the Top said nothing. He thought of his old love; and
the more he heard, the clearer it became to him that this was
she. Then came the servant-girl, and wanted to empty the dust-
box. “Aha, there's a gilt top! ” she cried. And so the Top was
brought again to notice and honor, but nothing was heard of the
Ball. And the Top spoke no more of his old love: for that dies
away when the beloved has lain for five years in a gutter and
got soaked through; yes, one does not know her again when one
meets her in the dust-box.
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THE SNOW QUEEN
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
FOURTH STORY — THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
ERDA
G
was obliged to rest herself again, when just over
against where she sat, a large Crow hopped over the white
snow. He had sat there a long while, looking at her and
shaking his head; and now he said, “Caw! caw! Good day!
good day :) He could not say it better; but he meant well by
the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone out
in the wide world. The word “alone” Gerda understood quite
well, ind felt how much lay in it; so she told the Crow her
whole history and asked if he had not seen Kay.
The Crow 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 Crow to death, so much did she kiss him.
"Gently gently,” said the Crow. "I think I know; I think
that it may be little Kay. But now he has quite forgotten you
for the Princess. ”
Does he live with a princess? ” asked Gerda.
“Yes,— listen,” said the Crow; “but it is hard for me to
speak your language. If you understand the Crow language, I
can tell you better. ”
“No, I have not learnt it,” said Gerda; “but my grand-
mother understands it. I wish I had learnt it. ”
«No matter,” said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can;
but 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 vastly clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the
whole world, and has forgotten them again, — so clever is she.
Some time ago, they say, she was sitting on her throne, - which is
no great fun, after all, — when she began humming an old tune,
and it was just “Oh, why should I not be married ? Come,
now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then she was
bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how
to give an answer when he was spoken to, - not one who was
good for nothing but to stand and be looked at, for that is very
tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed
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521
together; and when they heard what she meant to do, all were
well pleased, and said, “We are quite glad to hear it: it is the
very thing we were thinking of. ' You may believe every word I
say,” said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops
about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.
“ The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts
and the initials of the Princess; and you could read in them that
every good-looking young man was free 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, and talked best, that one
the Princess would choose for her husband.
“Yes — yes,” said the Crow, 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 had good luck 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 lighted halls, then they
were dumb; and when they stood before the throne on which
the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last
word she had said, and she didn't care to hear that again. 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 from the town gates to the palace.
to the palace. I was there
myself to look on,” said the Crow. “They grew hungry and
thirsty; but from the palace they got not so much as a glass of
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. ) »
"But Kay -- little Kay," asked Gerda, "when did he come?
Was he among the number ? ”
“Give me time! give me time! we are coming to him. It
was on the third day, when a little personage, without horse or
carriage, came marching right boldly up to the palace; his eyes
shone like yours, he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were
very shabby. ”
« That was Kay,” cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. Oh,
now I've found him! ” and she clapped her hands.
"He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Crow.
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“No, that was certainly his sled,” said Gerda; “for he went
away with his sled. »
“That may be," said the Crow; “I did not see, him close to;
but I know from my tame sweetheart that when he came into the
courtyard of the palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, and
the lackeys on the staircase in gold, he was not in the least cast
down; he nodded and said to them, It must be very tiresome to
stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in. ' The halls were
bright with lights. Court people and fine folks were walking
about on bare feet; it was all very solemn. His boots creaked,
too, very loudly; but still he was not at all afraid. ”
“That's Kay, for certain,” said Gerda. "I know he had on
new boots; I have heard them creaking in grandmamma's room.
“Yes, they creaked," said the Crow. “And on he went boldly
up to the Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spin-
ning-wheel. All the ladies of the court stood about, with their
maids and their maids' maids, and all the gentlemen with their
servants and their servants' servants, who kept a boy; and the
nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked. The boy
of the servants servants, who always goes in slippers, hardly
looked at one, so very proudly did he stand in the doorway. ”
“It must have been terrible,” said little Gerda. “And did
Kay get the Princess ? »
"Were I not a Crow, I should have taken the Princess myself,
although I am engaged. It is said he spoke as well as I speak
when I talk crow language; this I learned from my tame sweet-
heart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to
woo the Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased
him and he pleased her. ”
“Yes, yes, for certain that was Kay,” said Gerda.
“He was
so clever; he could do sums with fractions. Oh, won't you take
me to the palace ? ”
« That is very easily said," answered the Crow. But how are
we to manage it ? I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it;
she can tell us what to do; for so much I must tell you, such a
little girl as you are will never get leave to go in the common
way. ”
“Oh, yes, I shall,” said Gerda: “when Kay hears that I am
here, he will come out at once to fetch me. ”
“Wait for me here on these steps," said the Crow. He
wagged his head and flew away.
## p. 523 (#561) ############################################
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-
When it grew dark the Crow came back. « Caw! caw! ” said
he. "I bring you a great many good wishes from her; and here
is a bit of bread for you. She took it out of the kitchen, where
,
there is bread enough, and you are hungry, no doubt. It is not
possible for you to enter the palace, for you are barefoot; the
guards in silver and the lackeys in gold would not allow it: but
do not cry, you shall come in still. My sweetheart knows a little
back stair that leads to the chamber, and she knows where she
can get the key of it. ”
And they went into the garden by the broad path, where one
leaf was falling after the other; and when the lights in the palace
were all put out, one after the other, the Crow led little Gerda to
the back door, which stood ajar.
Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with doubt and longing! It was
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must
be there. She called to mind his clear eyes and his long hair so
vividly, she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they
were sitting under the roses at home. He would surely be glad
to see her — to hear what a long way she had come for his sake;
to know how unhappy all at home were when he did not come
back. Oh, what a fright and what a joy it was!
Now they were on the stairs. A single lamp was burning
there; and on the floor stood the tame Crow, turning her head on
every side and looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother
had taught her to do.
«My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear
young lady,” said the tame Crow. «Your Life, as they call it, is
very affecting. If you will take the lamp, I will go before. We
will go straight on, for we shall meet no one. ”
“I think there is somebody just behind us,” said Gerda; and
it rushed past her. It was like shadows on the wall; horses with
flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen, ladies and gentlemen on
horseback.
« They are only dreams,” said the Crow. “They come to fetch
the thoughts of the fine folk to the chase; 'tis well, for now you
can see them asleep all the better. But let me find, when
you
come to have honor and fame, that you possess a grateful
heart. ”
«Tut! that's not worth talking about,” said the Crow from the
woods.
c
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524
Now they came into the first hall, which was of rose-colored
satin, with painted flowers on the wall. Here the dreams were
rushing past, but they hurried by so quickly that Gerda could not
see the fine people. One hall was more showy than the other
well might people be abashed; and at last they came into the
bed-chamber.
The ceiling of the room was like a great palm-tree, with leaves
of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle of the floor, from
a thick golden stalk, hung two beds, each of which was shaped
like a lily. One was white, and in this lay the Princess: the
other was red, and it was here that Gerda was to look for little
Kay. She bent back one of the red leaves, and saw a brown
neck - oh, that was Kay! She called him quite loud by name,
held the lamp toward him — the dreams rushed again on horse-
back into the chamber — he awoke, turned his head, and — it was
not little Kay!
The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was
young and handsome. And out of the white lily leaves the
Princess peeped too, and asked what was the matter. Then little
Gerda cried and told her whole history, and all that the Crows
had done for her.
Poor little thing! ” said the Prince and the Princess, and they
praised the Crows very much, and told them they were not at all
angry with them, but they were not to do so again. However,
they should have a reward.
“Will you fly about at liberty ? ” asked the Princess; ”or would
you like to have a steady place as court Crows with all the
broken bits from the kitchen ? »
And both the Crows nodded, and begged for a steady place;
for they thought of their old age, and said it was a good thing
to have something for the old folks," as the saying is.
And the Prince got up and let Gerda sleep in his bed, and
more than this he could not do. She folded her little hands, and
thought, “How good men and animals are! ” and then she shut
her eyes and slept soundly. All the dreams came flying in again,
and they now looked like the angels; they drew a little sled, on
which Kay sat and nodded his head: but the whole was only a
dream, and so it was all gone as soon as she awoke.
The next day she was dressed from top to toe in silk and
velvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead a
happy life; but she begged only to have a little carriage with a
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525
horse in front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she
would again go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.
And she got both shoes and a muff; she was dressed very
nicely, too; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage
stopped before the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of
the Prince and Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman,
the footmen, and the outriders, for outriders were there too, all
wore golden crowns. The Prince and Princess helped her into
the carriage themselves, and wished her good luck. The Crow
of the woods, who was now married, went with her for the first
three miles. He sat beside Gerda, for he could not bear riding
backward; the other Crow stood in the doorway, and flapped her
wings; she could not go with Gerda, because she suffered from
headache since she had had a steady place, and ate so much.
The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seats
were fruits and cookies.
"Good-by! good-by! ” cried Prince and Princess; and little
Gerda wept, and the Crows wept. Thus passed the first miles;
and then the Crow said good-by, and this was the worst good-by
of all. He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as
he could see the carriage, that shone from afar like the clear
sunlight.
Duck; and she whetted her beak, for she too wanted the eel's
head. '
"Only use your legs,” she said. «See that you can bustle
((
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511
about, and bend your necks before the old Duck yonder. She's
the grandest of all here; she's of Spanish blood -- that's why
she's so fat; and do you see? she has a red rag around her leg;
that's something very, very fine, and the greatest mark of honor
a duck can have: it means that one does not want to lose her,
and that she's known by the animals and by men too. Hurry!
hurry! - don't turn in your toes, a well brought-up duck turns
it's toes quite out, just like father and mother,--so! Now bend
your necks and say “Quack! »»
And they did so; but the other ducks round about looked at
them, and said quite boldly,– "Look there! now we're to have
this crowd too! as if there were not enough of us already! And
-- fie! -how that Duckling yonder looks: we won't stand that!
And at once one Duck flew at him, and bit him in the neck.
“Let him alone,” said the mother: "he is not doing anything
to any one. ”
“Yes, but he's too large and odd,” said the Duck who had
bitten him, “and so he must be put down.
« Those are pretty children the mother has," said the old Duck
with the rag round her leg. “They're all pretty but that one;
that is rather unlucky. I wish she could have that one over again. ”
“That cannot be done, my lady,” said the Mother-Duck. "He
is not pretty, but he has a really good temper, and swims as well
as any of the others; yes, I may even say it, a little better. I
think he will grow up pretty, perhaps in time he will grow a lit-
tle smaller; he lay too long in the egg, and therefore he has not
quite the right shape. ” And she pinched him in the neck, and
smoothed his feathers. "Besides, he is a drake,” she said, "and
so it does not matter much. I think he will be very strong: he
makes his way already. ”
« The other ducklings are graceful enough,” said the old Duck.
“Make yourself at home; and if you find an eel's head, you may
bring it to me. ”
And now they were at home. But the poor Duckling who
had crept last out of the egg, and looked so ugly, was bitten
and pushed and made fun of, as much by the ducks as by the
chickens.
“ He is too big! ” they all said. And the turkey-cock, who
had been born with spurs, and so thought he was an emperor,
blew himself up, like a ship in full sail, and bore straight down
upon him; then he gobbled and grew quite red in the face. The
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
poor Duckling did not know where he dared stand or walk; he
was quite unhappy because he looked ugly, and was the sport of
the whole duck-yard.
So it went on the first day; and then it grew worse and
worse. The poor Duckling was hunted about by every one; even
his brothers and sisters were quite angry with him, and said,
“If the cat would only catch you, you ugly creature! ” And the
ducks bit him, and the chickens beat him, and the girl who had
to feed the poultry kicked at him with her foot.
III - OUT ON THE MOOR
Then he ran and flew over the fence, and the little birds in
the bushes flew up in fear.
“That is because I am so ugly! ” thought the Duckling; and
he shut his eyes, but flew on further; and so he came out into
the great moor, where the wild ducks lived. Here he lay the
whole night long, he was so tired and sad.
Toward morning the wild ducks flew up, and looked at their
new mate.
"What sort of a one are you? ” they asked; and the Duckling
turned about to each, and bowed as well as he could. “You are
really very ugly! ” said the Wild Ducks. “But that is all the
same to us, so long as you do not marry into our family. ”
Poor thing! he certainly did not think of marrying, and only
dared ask leave to lie among the reeds and drink some of the
swamp water.
There he lay two whole days; then came thither two wild
geese, or, more truly, two wild ganders. It was not long since
each had crept out of an egg, and that's why they were so saucy.
“Listen, comrade,” said one of them. “You're so ugly that I
like you. Will you go with us, and become a bird of passage ?
Near here is another moor, where are a few sweet lovely wild
geese, all unmarried, and all able to say Quack! You've a
chance of making your fortune, ugly as you are. ”
“Piff! paff! ” sounded through the air; and both the ganders
fell down dead in the reeds, and the water became blood-red.
Piff! paff! ” it sounded again, and the whole flock of wild geese
flew up from the reeds. And then there was another report. A
great hunt was going on. The gunners lay around in the moor,
and some even sitting up in the branches of the trees,
were
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513
which spread far over the reeds. The blue smoke rose like
clouds in among the dark trees, and hung over the water; and
the hunting dogs came-splash, splash! - into the mud, and the
rushes and reeds bent down on every side. That was a fright
for the poor Duckling! He turned his head to put it under his
wing; and at that very moment a frightful great dog stood close
by the Duckling. His tongue hung far out of his mouth, and
his eyes glared horribly. He put his nose close to the Duckling,
showed his sharp teeth, and-splash, splash! - on he went with-
out seizing it.
“Oh, Heaven be thanked! ” sighed the Duckling. “I am so
ugly that even the dog does not like to bite me! ”
And so he lay quite quiet, while the shots rattled through the
reeds and gun after gun was fired. At last, late in the day, all
was still: but the poor little thing did not dare to rise up; he
waited several hours still before he looked around, and then hur-
ried away out of the moor as fast as he could. He ran on over
field and meadow; there was a storm, so that he had hard work
to get away.
IV — IN THE PEASANT'S HUT
Towards evening the Duckling came to a peasant's poor little
hut: it was so tumbled down that it did not itself know on
which side it should fall; and that's why it stood up. The storm
whistled around the Duckling in such a way that he had to sit
down to keep from blowing away; and the wind blew worse and
worse. Then he noticed that one of the hinges of the door
had given way, and the door hung so slanting that he could slip
through the crack into the room; and that is what he did.
Here lived an old woman, with her Cat and her Hen. And
the Cat, whom she called Sonnie, could arch his back and purr;
he could even give out sparks - but for that, one had to stroke
his fur the wrong way. The Hen had quite small, short legs,
and therefore she was called Chickabiddy Shortshanks; she laid
good eggs, and the woman loved her as her own child.
In the morning they noticed at once the strange Duckling,
and the Cat began to purr and the Hen to cluck.
“What's this ? ” said the woman, and looked all around; but
she could not see well, and therefore she thought the Duckling
was a fat duck that had strayed. « This is a rare prize! ” she
said. "Now I shall have duck's eggs. I hope it is not a drake.
We must try that. ”
11-33
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514
(
And so the Duckling was taken on trial for three weeks, but
no eggs came. And the Cat was master of the house, and the
Hen was the lady, and always said "We and the world! ” for they
thought they were half the world, and by far the better half. It
seemed to the Duckling that one might have another mind, but
the Hen would not allow it.
"Can you lay eggs? ”
«No. ”
« Then will you hold your tongue! ”
And the Cat said, “Can you curve your back, and purr, and
give out sparks ? ”
«No.
« Then you will please have no opinion of your own when
sensible folks are speaking! ”
And the Duckling sat in a corner and was in low spirits; then
he began to think of the fresh air and the sunshine; and he was
seized with such a strange longing to swim on the water, that he
could not help telling the Hen of it.
What are you thinking of ? ” cried the Hen. “You have
nothing to do, that's why you have these fancies. Lay eggs, or
purr, and they will pass over. ”
“But it is so charming to swim in the water," said the Duck-
ling, “so nice to feel it go over one's head, and to dive down to
the bottom ! »
“Yes, that's a fine thing, truly,” said the Hen. “You are clean
gone crazy. Ask the Cat about it, — he's the cleverest thing I
ask him if he likes to swim in the water, or to dive
down: I won't speak about myself. Ask our mistress herself, the
old woman; no one in the world knows more than she.
think she wants to swim, and let the water close above her head ? ”
«You don't understand me," said the Duckling.
“We don't understand you! Then pray who is to understand
you? You surely don't pretend to be cleverer than the Cat and
the woman — I won't say anything of myself. Don't make a fool
of yourself, child, and thank your Maker for all the good you
have. Are you not come into a warm room, and have you not
folks about you from whom you can learn something? But you
are a goose, and it is not pleasant to have you about. You may
believe me, I speak for your good. I tell you things you won't
like, and by that one may always know one's true friends! Only
take care that you learn to lay eggs, or to purr, and to give out
sparks! »
know,
Do you
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515
“I think I will go out into the wide world,” said the Duckling.
“Yes, do go, replied the Hen.
And so the Duckling went away. He swam on the water, and
dived, but he was shunned by every creature because he was
so ugly.
v — WHAT BECAME OF THE DUCKLING
Now came the fall of the year. The leaves in the wood
turned yellow and brown; the wind caught them so that they
danced about, and up in the air it was very cold. The clouds
hung low, heavy with hail and snow-flakes, and on the fence
stood the raven, crying “Croak! croak! ” for mere cold; yes, one
could freeze fast if one thought about it. The poor little Duck-
ling certainly had not a good time. One evening — the sun was
just going down in fine style — there came a whole flock of great
handsome birds out of the bushes; they were shining white, with
long, supple necks; they were swans. They uttered a very
strange cry, spread forth their glorious great wings, and flew
away from that cold region to warmer lands, to fair open lakes.
They mounted so high, so high! and the ugly Duckling had such
a strange feeling as he saw them! He turned round and round
in the water like a wheel, stretched out his neck towards them,
and uttered a cry, so high, so strange, that he was frightened as
he heard it.
Oh! he could not forget those beautiful, happy birds; and as
soon as he could see them no longer, he dived down to the very
bottom, and when he came up again, he was quite beside himself.
He did not know what the birds were, nor where they were flying
to; but he loved them more than he had ever loved any one.
He did not envy them at all. How could he think of wishing
to have such loveliness as they had ? He would have been glad
if only the ducks would have let him be among them — the poor,
ugly creature!
And the winter grew so cold, so cold! The Duckling had to
swim about in the water, to keep it from freezing over; but
every night the hole in which he swam about became smaller
and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy cover sounded; and
the Duckling had to use his legs all the time to keep the hole
from freezing tight. At last he became worn out, and lay quite
still, and thus froze fast in the ice.
Early in the morning a peasant came by, and found him
there; he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice to pieces, and car-
## p. 516 (#554) ############################################
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
ried the Duckling home to his wife. Then the Duckling came
to himself again. The children wanted to play with him; but
he thought they wanted to hurt him, and in his terror he flew
up into the milk-pan, so that the milk spilled over into the
room. The woman screamed and shook her hand in the air, at
which the Duckling flew down into the tub where they kept the
butter, and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How he
looked then! The woman screamed, and struck at him with the
fire tongs; the children tumbled over one another as they tried
to catch the Duckling; and they laughed and they screamed ! -
well was it that the door stood open, and the poor creature was
able to slip out between the bushes into the newly-fallen snow -
there he lay quite worn out.
But it would be too sad if I were to tell all the misery and
care which the Duckling had to bear in the hard winter. He
lay out on the moor among the reeds, when the sun began to
shine again and the larks to sing; it was a beautiful spring.
Then all at once the Duckling could flap his wings: they
beat the air more strongly than before, and bore him stoutly
away; and before he well knew it, he found himself in a great
garden, where the elder-trees stood in flower, and bent their
long green branches down to the winding canal, and the lilacs
smelt sweet. Oh, here it was beautiful, fresh, and springlike!
and from the thicket came three glorious white swans; they
rustled their wings, and sat lightly on the water. The Duckling
knew the splendid creatures, and felt a strange sadness.
"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will
beat me, because I, that so ugly, dare to come near them.
But it is all the same. Better to be killed by them than to be
chased by ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by the
girl who takes care of the poultry yard, and to suffer hunger in
winter! ” And he flew out into the water, and swam toward the
beautiful swans: these looked at him, and came sailing down
upon him 'with outspread wings. “Kill me! ” said the poor
creature, and bent his head down upon the water, and waited for
death. But what saw he in the clear water ? He saw below him
his own image; and lo! it was no longer a clumsy dark-gray
bird, ugly and hateful to look at, but -a swan!
It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard, if one has
only lain in a swan's egg.
He felt quite glad at all the need and hard times he had
borne; now he could joy in his good luck in all the brightness
am
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517
that was round him. And the great swans swam round him
and stroked him with their beaks.
Into the garden came little children, who threw bread and
corn into the water; and the youngest cried, “There is a new
one! ) and the other children shouted, “Yes, a new
one has
come! ” And they clapped their hands and danced about, and
ran to their father and mother; and bread and cake were thrown
into the water; and they all said, “The new one is the most
beautiful of all! so young and so handsome! ” and the old swans
bowed their heads before him.
Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his
wings, for he did not know what to do; he was so happy, and
yet not at all proud, for a good heart is never proud. He
thought how he had been driven about and mocked and despised;
and now he heard them all saying that he was the most beautiful
of all beautiful birds. And the lilacs bent their branches straight
down into the water before him, and the sun shone warm and
mild. Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, and
cried from the depths of his heart:-
"I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the
Ugly Duckling. ”
WHAT THE MOON SAW
H*
EAR what the Moon told me:
“I have seen a cadet promoted to be an officer, and dress-
ing himself for the first time in his gorgeous uniform; I
have seen young girls in bridal attire, and the prince's young
bride in her wedding dress: but I never saw such bliss as that
of a little four-year-old girl whom I watched this evening. She
had got a new blue dress, and a new pink hat. The finery was
just put on, and all were calling for light, for the moonbeams
that came through the window were not bright enough. They
wanted very different lights from that. There stood the little
girl, stiff as a doll, keeping her arms anxiously off her dress, and
her fingers stretched wide apart. Oh! what happiness beamed
from her eyes, from her whole face. "To-morrow you may go
to walk in the dress,' said the mother; and the little one looked
up at her hat and down again at her dress, and smiled blissfully.
Mother,' she cried, what will the little dogs think when they
see me in all these fine clothes ? ) »
## p.
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THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
T"
The Top and the Ball lay in a drawer among some other toys;
and so the Top said to the Ball:-“Shall we not be lovers,
since we live together in the same drawer ? ”
But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco leather, and
thought herself as good as any fine lady, had nothing to say to
such a thing The next day came the little boy who owned the
toys: he painted the Top red and yellow, and drove a brass nail
into it; and the Top looked splendidly when he turned round.
« Look at me! ” he cried to the Ball.
«What do you say
now? Shall we not be lovers? We go so nicely together? You
jump and I dance! No one could be happier than we two
should be. ”
«Indeed! Do you think so ? ” said the Ball. "Perhaps you
do not know that my papa and my mamma were morocco slip-
pers, and that I have a cork inside me ? »
“Yes, but I'am made of mahogany,” said the Top; "and the
mayor himself turned me. He has a turning-lathe of his own,
and it amuses him greatly. ”
“Can I depend on that ? ” asked the Ball.
"May I never be whipped again if it is not true! ” replied
the Top.
"You talk well for yourself,” said the Ball, “but I cannot do
what you ask. I am
I am as good as half engaged to a swallow:
every time I leap up into the air he sticks his head out of the
nest and says, “Will you ? will you ? ' And now I have silently
said “Yes,' and that is as good as being half engaged; but I
promise I will never forget you. ”
“Much good that will do! ” said the Top.
And they spoke no more to each other.
Next day the Ball was taken out. The Top saw how she
flew high into the air, like a bird; at last one could no longer
see her.
Each time she came back again, but always gave a
high leap when she touched the earth; and that came about
either from her longing, or because she had a cork in her body.
The ninth time the Ball stayed away and did not come back
again; and the boy looked and looked, but she was gone.
"I know very well where she is! " sighed the Top. «She is
in the Swallow's nest, and has married the Swallow ! »
## p. 519 (#557) ############################################
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519
The more the Top thought of this, the more he longed for
the Ball. Just because he could not get her, he fell more in
love with her. That she had taken someone else, that was
another thing. So the Top danced around and hummed, but
always thought of the Ball, which grew more and more lovely in
his fancy. Thus many years went by,- and now it was an old
love.
And the Top was no longer young. But one day he was
gilt all over; never had he looked so handsome; he was now a
golden Top, and sprang till he hummed again. Yes, that was
something! But all at once he sprang too high, and — he was
gone!
They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but he was not
to be found.
Where was he?
He had jumped into the dust-box, where all kinds of things
were lying: cabbage stalks, sweepings, and gravel that had fallen
down from the roof.
«Here's a nice place to lie in! The gilding will soon leave
me here. And what a rabble I've come amongst ! ”
And then he looked askance at a long cabbage stalk that was
much too near him, and at a curious round thing like an old
apple; but it was not an apple - it was an old Ball, which had
lain for years in the roof-gutter and was soaked through with
water.
« Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with whom one can
talk! ” said the little Ball, and looked at the gilt Top. “I am
really morocco, sewn by a girl's hands, and have a cork inside
me; but no one would think it to look at me. I was very near
marrying a swallow, but I fell into the gutter on the roof, and
have laid there full five years, and am quite soaked through.
That's a long time, you may believe me, for a young girl. ”
But the Top said nothing. He thought of his old love; and
the more he heard, the clearer it became to him that this was
she. Then came the servant-girl, and wanted to empty the dust-
box. “Aha, there's a gilt top! ” she cried. And so the Top was
brought again to notice and honor, but nothing was heard of the
Ball. And the Top spoke no more of his old love: for that dies
away when the beloved has lain for five years in a gutter and
got soaked through; yes, one does not know her again when one
meets her in the dust-box.
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THE SNOW QUEEN
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
FOURTH STORY — THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
ERDA
G
was obliged to rest herself again, when just over
against where she sat, a large Crow hopped over the white
snow. He had sat there a long while, looking at her and
shaking his head; and now he said, “Caw! caw! Good day!
good day :) He could not say it better; but he meant well by
the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone out
in the wide world. The word “alone” Gerda understood quite
well, ind felt how much lay in it; so she told the Crow her
whole history and asked if he had not seen Kay.
The Crow 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 Crow to death, so much did she kiss him.
"Gently gently,” said the Crow. "I think I know; I think
that it may be little Kay. But now he has quite forgotten you
for the Princess. ”
Does he live with a princess? ” asked Gerda.
“Yes,— listen,” said the Crow; “but it is hard for me to
speak your language. If you understand the Crow language, I
can tell you better. ”
“No, I have not learnt it,” said Gerda; “but my grand-
mother understands it. I wish I had learnt it. ”
«No matter,” said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can;
but 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 vastly clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the
whole world, and has forgotten them again, — so clever is she.
Some time ago, they say, she was sitting on her throne, - which is
no great fun, after all, — when she began humming an old tune,
and it was just “Oh, why should I not be married ? Come,
now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then she was
bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how
to give an answer when he was spoken to, - not one who was
good for nothing but to stand and be looked at, for that is very
tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed
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together; and when they heard what she meant to do, all were
well pleased, and said, “We are quite glad to hear it: it is the
very thing we were thinking of. ' You may believe every word I
say,” said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops
about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.
“ The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts
and the initials of the Princess; and you could read in them that
every good-looking young man was free 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, and talked best, that one
the Princess would choose for her husband.
“Yes — yes,” said the Crow, 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 had good luck 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 lighted halls, then they
were dumb; and when they stood before the throne on which
the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last
word she had said, and she didn't care to hear that again. 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 from the town gates to the palace.
to the palace. I was there
myself to look on,” said the Crow. “They grew hungry and
thirsty; but from the palace they got not so much as a glass of
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. ) »
"But Kay -- little Kay," asked Gerda, "when did he come?
Was he among the number ? ”
“Give me time! give me time! we are coming to him. It
was on the third day, when a little personage, without horse or
carriage, came marching right boldly up to the palace; his eyes
shone like yours, he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were
very shabby. ”
« That was Kay,” cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. Oh,
now I've found him! ” and she clapped her hands.
"He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Crow.
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“No, that was certainly his sled,” said Gerda; “for he went
away with his sled. »
“That may be," said the Crow; “I did not see, him close to;
but I know from my tame sweetheart that when he came into the
courtyard of the palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, and
the lackeys on the staircase in gold, he was not in the least cast
down; he nodded and said to them, It must be very tiresome to
stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in. ' The halls were
bright with lights. Court people and fine folks were walking
about on bare feet; it was all very solemn. His boots creaked,
too, very loudly; but still he was not at all afraid. ”
“That's Kay, for certain,” said Gerda. "I know he had on
new boots; I have heard them creaking in grandmamma's room.
“Yes, they creaked," said the Crow. “And on he went boldly
up to the Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spin-
ning-wheel. All the ladies of the court stood about, with their
maids and their maids' maids, and all the gentlemen with their
servants and their servants' servants, who kept a boy; and the
nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked. The boy
of the servants servants, who always goes in slippers, hardly
looked at one, so very proudly did he stand in the doorway. ”
“It must have been terrible,” said little Gerda. “And did
Kay get the Princess ? »
"Were I not a Crow, I should have taken the Princess myself,
although I am engaged. It is said he spoke as well as I speak
when I talk crow language; this I learned from my tame sweet-
heart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to
woo the Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased
him and he pleased her. ”
“Yes, yes, for certain that was Kay,” said Gerda.
“He was
so clever; he could do sums with fractions. Oh, won't you take
me to the palace ? ”
« That is very easily said," answered the Crow. But how are
we to manage it ? I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it;
she can tell us what to do; for so much I must tell you, such a
little girl as you are will never get leave to go in the common
way. ”
“Oh, yes, I shall,” said Gerda: “when Kay hears that I am
here, he will come out at once to fetch me. ”
“Wait for me here on these steps," said the Crow. He
wagged his head and flew away.
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-
When it grew dark the Crow came back. « Caw! caw! ” said
he. "I bring you a great many good wishes from her; and here
is a bit of bread for you. She took it out of the kitchen, where
,
there is bread enough, and you are hungry, no doubt. It is not
possible for you to enter the palace, for you are barefoot; the
guards in silver and the lackeys in gold would not allow it: but
do not cry, you shall come in still. My sweetheart knows a little
back stair that leads to the chamber, and she knows where she
can get the key of it. ”
And they went into the garden by the broad path, where one
leaf was falling after the other; and when the lights in the palace
were all put out, one after the other, the Crow led little Gerda to
the back door, which stood ajar.
Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with doubt and longing! It was
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must
be there. She called to mind his clear eyes and his long hair so
vividly, she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they
were sitting under the roses at home. He would surely be glad
to see her — to hear what a long way she had come for his sake;
to know how unhappy all at home were when he did not come
back. Oh, what a fright and what a joy it was!
Now they were on the stairs. A single lamp was burning
there; and on the floor stood the tame Crow, turning her head on
every side and looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother
had taught her to do.
«My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear
young lady,” said the tame Crow. «Your Life, as they call it, is
very affecting. If you will take the lamp, I will go before. We
will go straight on, for we shall meet no one. ”
“I think there is somebody just behind us,” said Gerda; and
it rushed past her. It was like shadows on the wall; horses with
flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen, ladies and gentlemen on
horseback.
« They are only dreams,” said the Crow. “They come to fetch
the thoughts of the fine folk to the chase; 'tis well, for now you
can see them asleep all the better. But let me find, when
you
come to have honor and fame, that you possess a grateful
heart. ”
«Tut! that's not worth talking about,” said the Crow from the
woods.
c
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Now they came into the first hall, which was of rose-colored
satin, with painted flowers on the wall. Here the dreams were
rushing past, but they hurried by so quickly that Gerda could not
see the fine people. One hall was more showy than the other
well might people be abashed; and at last they came into the
bed-chamber.
The ceiling of the room was like a great palm-tree, with leaves
of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle of the floor, from
a thick golden stalk, hung two beds, each of which was shaped
like a lily. One was white, and in this lay the Princess: the
other was red, and it was here that Gerda was to look for little
Kay. She bent back one of the red leaves, and saw a brown
neck - oh, that was Kay! She called him quite loud by name,
held the lamp toward him — the dreams rushed again on horse-
back into the chamber — he awoke, turned his head, and — it was
not little Kay!
The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was
young and handsome. And out of the white lily leaves the
Princess peeped too, and asked what was the matter. Then little
Gerda cried and told her whole history, and all that the Crows
had done for her.
Poor little thing! ” said the Prince and the Princess, and they
praised the Crows very much, and told them they were not at all
angry with them, but they were not to do so again. However,
they should have a reward.
“Will you fly about at liberty ? ” asked the Princess; ”or would
you like to have a steady place as court Crows with all the
broken bits from the kitchen ? »
And both the Crows nodded, and begged for a steady place;
for they thought of their old age, and said it was a good thing
to have something for the old folks," as the saying is.
And the Prince got up and let Gerda sleep in his bed, and
more than this he could not do. She folded her little hands, and
thought, “How good men and animals are! ” and then she shut
her eyes and slept soundly. All the dreams came flying in again,
and they now looked like the angels; they drew a little sled, on
which Kay sat and nodded his head: but the whole was only a
dream, and so it was all gone as soon as she awoke.
The next day she was dressed from top to toe in silk and
velvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead a
happy life; but she begged only to have a little carriage with a
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horse in front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she
would again go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.
And she got both shoes and a muff; she was dressed very
nicely, too; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage
stopped before the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of
the Prince and Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman,
the footmen, and the outriders, for outriders were there too, all
wore golden crowns. The Prince and Princess helped her into
the carriage themselves, and wished her good luck. The Crow
of the woods, who was now married, went with her for the first
three miles. He sat beside Gerda, for he could not bear riding
backward; the other Crow stood in the doorway, and flapped her
wings; she could not go with Gerda, because she suffered from
headache since she had had a steady place, and ate so much.
The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seats
were fruits and cookies.
"Good-by! good-by! ” cried Prince and Princess; and little
Gerda wept, and the Crows wept. Thus passed the first miles;
and then the Crow said good-by, and this was the worst good-by
of all. He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as
he could see the carriage, that shone from afar like the clear
sunlight.
