Снігова королева
The Prince and Princess
Shecalledtomindhisintelligenteyes,andhislonghair,sovividly,shecouldquiteseehimasheusedtolaughwhentheyweresittingundertherosesathome. "Hewill,nodoubt,begladtoseeyou—tohearwhatalongwayyouhavecomeforhissake;toknowhowunhappyallathomewerewhenhedidnotcomeback."
Oh,whatafrightandajoyitwas!
Theywerenowonthestairs.Asinglelampwasburningthere;andonthefloorstoodthetameRaven,turningherheadoneverysideandlookingatGerda,whobowedashergrandmotherhadtaughthertodo.
"Myintendedhastoldmesomuchgoodofyou,mydearyounglady,"saidthetameRaven. "Yourtaleisveryaffecting.Ifyouwilltakethelamp,Iwillgobefore.Wewillgostraighton,forweshallmeetnoone."
"Ithinkthereissomebodyjustbehindus,"saidGerda;andsomethingrushedpast:itwaslikeshadowyfiguresonthewall;horseswithflowingmanesandthinlegs,huntsmen,ladiesandgentlemenonhorseback.
"Theyareonlydreams,"saidtheRaven."Theycometofetchthethoughtsofthehighpersonagestothechase;’tiswell,fornowyoucanobservetheminbedallthebetter.Butletmefind,whenyouenjoyhonoranddistinction,thatyoupossessagratefulheart."
"Tut!That’snotworthtalkingabout,"saidtheRavenofthewoods.
Theynowenteredthefirstsaloon,whichwasofrose-coloredsatin,withartificialflowersonthewall.Herethedreamswererushingpast,buttheyhastenedbysoquicklythatGerdacouldnotseethehighpersonages.
