Снігова королева
Of the Flower-Garden At the Old Woman’s Who Unders
And,asitseemedtoher,thebluewavesnoddedinastrangemanner; thenshetookoffherredshoes,themostpreciousthingsshepossessed, andthrewthembothintotheriver. Buttheyfellclosetothebank,andthelittlewavesborethemimmediatelytoland; itwasasifthestreamwouldnottakewhatwasdearesttoher;forinrealityithadnotgotlittle,Kay; butGerdathoughtthatshehadnotthrowntheshoesoutfarenough, sosheclamberedintoaboatwhichlayamongtherushes,wenttothefarthestend,andthrewouttheshoes. Buttheboatwasnotfastened,andthemotionwhichsheoccasioned,madeitdriftfromtheshore. Sheobservedthis,andhastenedtogetback; butbeforeshecoulddoso,theboatwasmorethanayardfromtheland,andwasglidingquicklyonward.
LittleGerdawasveryfrightened, andbegantocry; butnooneheardherexceptthesparrows, andtheycouldnotcarryhertoland; buttheyflewalongthebank,andsangasiftocomforther, "Hereweare!Hereweare!" Theboatdriftedwiththestream,littleGerdasatquitestillwithoutshoes, fortheywereswimmingbehindtheboat,butshecouldnotreachthem,becausetheboatwentmuchfasterthantheydid.
Thebanksonbothsideswerebeautiful;lovelyflowers,venerabletrees,andslopeswithsheepandcows, butnotahumanbeingwastobeseen.
"PerhapstheriverwillcarrymetolittleKay,"saidshe;andthenshegrewlesssad. Sherose,andlookedformanyhoursatthebeautifulgreenbanks. Presentlyshesailedbyalargecherry-orchard,wherewasalittlecottagewithcuriousredandbluewindows; itwasthatched,andbeforeittwowoodensoldiersstoodsentry,andpresentedarmswhenanyonewentpast.
