Снігова королева
Of the Flower-Garden At the Old Woman’s Who Unders
Gerdacalledtothem,forshethoughttheywerealive; butthey,ofcourse,didnotanswer. Shecameclosetothem,forthestreamdriftedtheboatquiteneartheland.
Gerdacalledstilllouder, andanoldwomanthencameoutofthecottage,leaninguponacrookedstick.Shehadalargebroad-brimmedhaton,paintedwiththemostsplendidflowers.
"Poorlittlechild!"saidtheoldwoman. "Howdidyougetuponthelargerapidriver,tobedrivenaboutsointhewideworld!" Andthentheoldwomanwentintothewater, caughtholdoftheboatwithhercrookedstick, drewittothebank,andliftedlittleGerdaout.
AndGerdawassogladtobeondrylandagain; butshewasratherafraidofthestrangeoldwoman.
"Butcomeandtellmewhoyouare,andhowyoucamehere,"saidshe.
AndGerdatoldherall;andtheoldwomanshookherheadandsaid,"A-hem!a-hem!" andwhenGerdahadtoldhereverything,andaskedherifshehadnotseenlittleKay, thewomanansweredthathehadnotpassedthere, buthenodoubtwouldcome;andshetoldhernottobecastdown, buttastehercherries,andlookatherflowers, whichwerefinerthananyinapicture-book, eachofwhichcouldtellawholestory. ShethentookGerdabythehand,ledherintothelittlecottage,andlockedthedoor.
Thewindowswereveryhighup;theglasswasred,blue,andgreen, andthesunlightshonethroughquitewondrouslyinallsortsofcolors. Onthetablestoodthemostexquisitecherries, andGerdaateasmanyasshechose,forshehadpermissiontodoso.
