Снігова королева
The Little Robber Maiden
ThentheWood-pigeonssaid, "Coo!CoolWehaveseenlittleKay!Awhitehencarrieshissledge;hehimselfsatinthecarriageoftheSnowQueen,whopassedhere,downjustoverthewood,aswelayinournest.Sheblewuponusyoungones;andalldiedexceptwetwo.Coo!Coo!"
"Whatisthatyousayupthere?"criedlittleGerda."WheredidtheSnowQueengoto?Doyouknowanythingaboutit?"
"SheisnodoubtgonetoLapland;forthereisalwayssnowandicethere.OnlyasktheReindeer,whoistetheredthere."
"Iceandsnowisthere!Thereitis,gloriousandbeautiful!"saidtheReindeer. "Onecanspringaboutinthelargeshiningvalleys! TheSnowQueenhashersummer-tentthere;butherfixedabodeishighuptowardstheNorthPole,ontheIslandcalledSpitzbergen."
"Oh,Kay!PoorlittleKay!"sighedGerda.
"Doyouchoosetobequiet?"saidtherobbermaiden."Ifyoudon’t,Ishallmakeyou."
InthemorningGerdatoldherallthattheWood-pigeonshadsaid;andthelittlemaidenlookedveryserious,butshenoddedherhead,andsaid, "That’snomatter-that’snomatter.DoyouknowwhereLaplandlies!"sheaskedoftheReindeer.
"WhoshouldknowbetterthanI?"saidtheanimal;andhiseyesrolledinhishead. "Iwasbornandbredthere—thereIleaptaboutonthefieldsofsnow.
