白雪皇后

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        　　would have been too great--and after laying a piece of ice on the Reindeer's
        　　head, read what was written on the fish-skin. She read it three times: she
        　　then knew it by heart; so she put the fish into the cupboard--for it might
        　　very well be eaten, and she never threw anything away.
        　　Then the Reindeer related his own story first, and afterwards that of little
        　　Gerda; and the Finland woman winked her eyes, but said nothing.
        　　"You are so clever," said the Reindeer; "you can, I know, twist all the winds
        　　of the world together in a knot. If the seaman loosens one knot, then he has a
        　　good wind; if a second, then it blows pretty stiffly; if he undoes the third
        　　and fourth, then it rages so that the forests are upturned. Will you give the
        　　little maiden a potion, that she may possess the strength of twelve men, and
        　　vanquish the Snow Queen?"
        　　"The strength of twelve men!" said the Finland woman. "Much good that would
        　　be!" Then she went to a cupboard, and drew out a large skin rolled up. When
        　　she had unrolled it, strange characters were to be seen written thereon; and
        　　the Finland woman read at such a rate that the perspiration trickled down her
        　　forehead.
        　　But the Reindeer begged so hard for little Gerda, and Gerda looked so
        　　imploringly with tearful eyes at the Finland woman, that she winked, and drew
        　　the Reindeer aside into a corner, where they whispered together, while the
        　　animal got some fresh ice put on his head.
        　　"'Tis true little Kay is at the Snow Queen's, and finds everything there quite
        　　to his taste; and he thinks it the very best place in the world; but the
        　　reason of that is, he has a splinter of glass in his eye, and in his heart.
        　　These must be got out first; otherwise he will never go back to mankind, and
        　　the Snow Queen will retain her power over him."
        　　"But can you give little Gerda nothing to take which will endue her with power
        　　over the whole?"
        　　"I can give her no more power than what she has already. Don't you see how
        　　great it is? Don't you see how men and animals are forced to serve her; how
        　　well she gets through the world barefooted? She must not hear of her power
        　　from us; that power lies in her heart, because she is a sweet and innocent
        　　child! If she cannot get to the Snow Queen by herself, and rid little Kay of
        　　the glass, we cannot help her. Two miles hence the garden of the Snow Queen
        　　begins; thither you may carry the little girl. Set her down by the large bush
        　　with red berries, standing in the snow; don't stay talking, but hasten back as
        　　fast as possible." And now the Finland woman placed little Gerda on the
            
            

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        　　Reindeer's back, and off he ran with all imaginable speed.
        　　"Oh! I have not got my boots! I have not brought my gloves!" cried little
        　　Gerda. She remarked she was without them from the cutting frost; but the
        　　Reindeer dared not stand still; on he ran till he came to the great bush with
        　　the red berries, and there he set Gerda down, kissed her mouth, while large
        　　bright tears flowed from the animal's eyes, and then back he went as fast as
        　　possible. There stood poor Gerda now, without shoes or gloves, in the very
        　　middle of dreadful icy Finland.
        　　She ran on as fast as she could. There then came a whole regiment of
        　　snow-flakes, but they did not fall from above, and they were quite bright and
        　　shining from the Aurora Borealis. The flakes ran along the ground, and the
        　　nearer they came the larger they grew. Gerda well remembered how large and
        　　strange the snow-flakes appeared when she once saw them through a
        　　magnifying-glass; but now they were large and terrific in another
        　　manner--they were all alive. They were the outposts of the Snow Queen. They
        　　had the most wondrous shapes; some looked like large ugly porcupines; others
        　　like snakes knotted together, with their heads sticking out; and others,
        　　again, like small fat bears, with the hair standing on end: all were of
        　　dazzling whiteness--all were living snow-flakes.
        　　Little Gerda repeated the Lord's Prayer. The cold was so intense that she
        　　could see her own breath, which came like smoke out of her mouth. It grew
        　　thicker and thicker, and took the form of little angels, that grew more and
        　　more when they touched the earth. All had helms on their heads, and lances
        　　and shields in their hands; they increased in numbers; and when Gerda had
        　　finished the Lord's Prayer, she was surrounded by a whole legion. They thrust
        　　at the horrid snow-flakes with their spears, so that they flew into a thousand
        　　pieces; and little Gerda walked on bravely and in security. The angels patted
        　　her hands and feet; and then she felt the cold less, and went on quickly
        　　towards the palace of the Snow Queen.
        　　But now we shall see how Kay fared. He never thought of Gerda, and least of
        　　all that she was standing before the palace.
        　　SEVENTH STORY. What Took Place in the Palace of the Snow Queen, and what
        　　Happened Afterward
        　　The walls of the palace were of driving snow, and the windows and doors of
        　　cutting winds. There were more than a hundred halls there, according as the
        　　snow was driven by the winds. The largest was many miles in extent; all were
        　　lighted up by the powerful Aurora Borealis, and all were so large, so empty,
        　　so icy cold, and so resplendent! Mirth never reigned there; there was never
            
            

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        　　even a little bear-ball, with the storm for music, while the polar bears went
        　　on their hind legs and showed off their steps. Never a little tea-party of
        　　white young lady foxes; vast, cold, and empty were the halls of the Snow
        　　Queen. The northern-lights shone with such precision that one could tell
        　　exactly when they were at their highest or lowest degree of brightness. In the
        　　middle of the empty, endless hall of snow, was a frozen lake; it was cracked
        　　in a thousand pieces, but each piece was so like the other, that it seemed the
        　　work of a cunning artificer. In the middle of this lake sat the Snow Queen
        　　when she was at home; and then she said she was sitting in the Mirror of
        　　Understanding, and that this was the only one and the best thing in the world.
        　　Little Kay was quite blue, yes nearly black with cold; but he did not observe
        　　it, for she had kissed away all feeling of cold from his body, and his heart
        　　was a lump of ice. He was dragging along some pointed flat pieces of ice,
        　　which he laid together in all possible ways, for he wanted to make something
        　　with them; just as we have little flat pieces of wood to make geometrical
        　　figures with, called the Chinese Puzzle. Kay made all sorts of figures, the
        　　most complicated, for it was an ice-puzzle for the understanding. In his eyes
        　　the figures were extraordinarily beautiful, and of the utmost importance; for
        　　the bit of glass which was in his eye caused this. He found whole figures
        　　which represented a written word; but he never could manage to represent just
        　　the word he wanted--that word was "eternity"; and the Snow Queen had said, "If
        　　you can discover that figure, you shall be your own master, and I will make
        　　you a present of the whole world and a pair of new skates." But he could not
        　　find it out.
        　　"I am going now to warm lands," said the Snow Queen. "I must have a look down
        　　into the black caldrons." It was the volcanoes Vesuvius and Etna that she
        　　meant. "I will just give them a coating of white, for that is as it ought to
        　　be; besides, it is good for the oranges and the grapes." And then away she
        　　flew, and Kay sat quite alone in the empty halls of ice that were miles long,
        　　and looked at the blocks of ice, and thought and thought till his skull was
        　　almost cracked. There he sat quite benumbed and motionless; one would have
        　　imagined he was frozen to death.
        　　Suddenly little Gerda stepped through the great portal into the palace. The
        　　gate was formed of cutting winds; but Gerda repeated her evening prayer, and
        　　the winds were laid as though they slept; and the little maiden entered the
       
            
            

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        　　vast, empty, cold halls. There she beheld Kay: she recognised him, flew to
        　　embrace him, and cried out, her arms firmly holding him the while, "Kay, sweet
        　　little Kay! Have I then found you at last?"
        　　But he sat quite still, benumbed and cold. Then little Gerda shed burning
        　　tears; and they fell on his bosom, they penetrated to his heart, they thawed
        　　the lumps of ice, and consumed the splinters of the looking-glass; he looked
        　　at her, and she sang the hymn:
        　　"The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet,
        　　And angels descend there the children to greet."
        　　Hereupon Kay burst into tears; he wept so much that the splinter rolled out of
        　　his eye, and he recognised her, and shouted, "Gerda, sweet little Gerda! Where
        　　have you been so long? And where have I been?" He looked round him. "How cold
        　　it is here!" said he. "How empty and cold!" And he held fast by Gerda, who
        　　laughed and wept for joy. It was so beautiful, that even the blocks of ice
        　　danced about for joy; and when they were tired and laid themselves down, they
        　　formed exactly the letters which the Snow Queen had told him to find out; so
        　　now he was his own master, and he would have the whole world and a pair of new
        　　skates into the bargain.
        　　Gerda kissed his cheeks, and they grew quite blooming; she kissed his eyes,
        　　and they shone like her own; she kissed his hands and feet, and he was again
        　　well and merry. The Snow Queen might come back as soon as she liked; there
        　　stood his discharge written in resplendent masses of ice.
        　　They took each other by the hand, and wandered forth out of the large hall;
        　　they talked of their old grandmother, and of the roses upon the roof; and
        　　wherever they went, the winds ceased raging, and the sun burst forth. And when
        　　they reached the bush with the red berries, they found the Reindeer waiting
        　　for them. He had brought another, a young one, with him, whose udder was
        　　filled with milk, which he gave to the little ones, and kissed their lips.
        　　They then carried Kay and Gerda--first to the Finland woman, where they
        　　warmed themselves in the warm room, and learned what they were to do on their
        　　journey home; and they went to the Lapland woman, who made some new
        　　clothes for them and repaired their sledges.
        　　The Reindeer and the young hind leaped along beside them, and accompanied them
        　　to the boundary of the country. Here the first vegetation peeped forth; here
        　　Kay and Gerda took leave of the Lapland woman. "Farewell! Farewell!" they all
        　　said. And the first green buds appeared, the first little birds began to
        　　chirrup; and out of the wood came, riding on a magnificent horse, which Gerda
            
            

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        　　knew (it was one of the leaders in the golden carriage), a young damsel with a
        　　bright-red cap on her head, and armed with pistols. It was the little robber
        　　maiden, who, tired of being at home, had determined to make a journey to the
        　　north; and afterwards in another direction, if that did not please her. She
        　　recognised Gerda immediately, and Gerda knew her too. It was a joyful meeting.
        　　"You are a fine fellow for tramping about," said she to little Kay; "I should
        　　like to know, faith, if you deserve that one should run from one end of the
        　　world to the other for your sake?"
        　　But Gerda patted her cheeks, and inquired for the Prince and Princess.
        　　"They are gone abroad," said the other.
        　　"But the Raven?" asked little Gerda.
        　　"Oh! The Raven is dead," she answered. "His tame sweetheart is a widow, and
        　　wears a bit of black worsted round her leg; she laments most piteously, but
        　　it's all mere talk and stuff! Now tell me what you've been doing and how you
        　　managed to catch him."
        　　And Gerda and Kay both told their story.
        　　And "Schnipp-schnapp-schnurre-basselurre," said the robber maiden; and she
        　　took the hands of each, and promised that if she should some day pass through
        　　the town where they lived, she would come and visit them; and then away she
        　　rode. Kay and Gerda took each other's hand: it was lovely spring weather, with
        　　abundance of flowers and of verdure. The church-bells rang, and the children
        　　recognised the high towers, and the large town; it was that in which they
        　　dwelt. They entered and hastened up to their grandmother's room, where
        　　everything was standing as formerly. The clock said "tick! tack!" and the
        　　finger moved round; but as they entered, they remarked that they were now
        　　grown up. The roses on the leads hung blooming in at the open window; there
        　　stood the little children's chairs, and Kay and Gerda sat down on them,
        　　holding each other by the hand; they both had forgotten the cold empty
        　　splendor of the Snow Queen, as though it had been a dream. The grandmother sat
        　　in the bright sunshine, and read aloud from the Bible: "Unless ye become as
        　　little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven."
        　　And Kay and Gerda looked in each other's eyes, and all at once they understood
        　　the old hymn:
        　　"The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet,
        　　And angels descend there the children to greet."
        　　There sat the two grown-up persons; grown-up, and yet children; children at
        　　least in heart; and it was summer-time; summer, glorious summer!
        　　白雪皇后
        　　第一个故事：关于一面镜子和它的碎片
            
            

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        　　??请注意！现在我们就要开始讲了。当我们听到这故事的结尾的时候，我们就会知道比现在还要多的事情。他是一个很坏的小鬼，他是一个最坏的家伙，因为他是魔鬼。有一天他非常高兴，因为他制造出了一面镜子。这镜子有一个特点：那就是，一切好的和美的东西，在里面一照，就缩作一团，变成乌有；但是，一些没有价值和丑陋的东西都会显得突出，而且看起来比原形还要糟。最美丽的风景在这镜子里就会像煮烂了的菠菜；最好的人不是现出使人憎恶的样子，就是头朝下，脚朝上，没有身躯，面孔变形，认不出来。如果你有一个雀斑，你不用怀疑，它可以扩大到盖满你的鼻子和嘴。
        　　??魔鬼说：这真够有趣。当一个虔诚和善良的思想在一个人的心里出现的时候，它就在这镜子里表现为一个露齿的怪笑。于是魔鬼对于他这巧妙的发明就发出得意的笑声来。那些进过魔鬼学校的人——因为他开办一个学校——走到哪里就宣传到哪里，说是现在有一个什么奇迹发生了。他们说，人们第一次可以看到世界和人类的本来面目。他们拿着这面镜子到处乱跑，弄得没有一个国家或民族没有在里面被歪曲过。现在他们居然想飞到天上去，去讥笑一下安琪儿或“我们的上帝”。这镜子和他们越飞得高，它就越露出些怪笑。他们几乎拿不住它。他们越飞越高，飞近上帝和安琪儿；于是镜子和它的怪笑开始可怕地抖起来，弄得它从他们的手中落到地上，跌成几亿，几千亿以及无数的碎片。这样，镜子就做出比以前还要更不幸的事情来，因为有许多碎片比沙粒还要小。它们在世界上乱飞，只要飞到人们的眼睛里去，便贴在那儿不动。这些人看起什么东西来都不对头，或者只看到事物的坏的一面，因为每块小小的碎片仍然具有整个镜子的魔力。有的人甚至心里都藏有这样一块碎片，结果不幸得很，这颗心就变成了冰块。
        　　??有些碎片很大，足够做窗子上的玻璃，不过要透过这样的玻璃去看自己的朋友却不恰当。有些碎片被做成了眼镜。如果人们想戴上这样的眼镜去正确地看东西或公正地判断事物，那也是不对头的。这会引起魔鬼大笑，把肚子都笑痛了，因为他对这样的事情感到很痛快。不过外边还有几块碎片在空中乱飞。现在我们听听吧！
        　　第二个故事：一个小男孩和一个小女孩
        　　??在一个大城市里，房子和居民是那么多，空间是那么少，人们连一个小花园都没有。结果大多数的人只好满足于花盆里种的几朵花了。这儿住着两个穷苦的孩子，他们有一个比花盆略为大一点的花园。他们并不是兄妹，不过彼此非常亲爱，就好像兄妹一样。他们各人的父母住在面对面的两个阁楼里。两家的屋顶差不多要碰到一起；两个屋檐下面有一个水笕；每间屋子都开着一个小窗。人们只要越过水笕就可以从这个窗子钻到那个窗子里去。
            
            

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        　　??两家的父母各有一个大匣子，里面长着一棵小玫瑰和他们所需用的菜蔬。两个匣子里的玫瑰都长得非常好看。现在这两对父母把匣子横放在水笕上，匣子的两端几乎抵着两边的窗子，好像两道开满了花的堤岸。豌豆藤悬在匣子上，玫瑰伸出长长的枝子。它们在窗子上盘着，又互相缠绕着，几乎像一个绿叶和花朵织成的凯旋门。因为匣子放得很高，孩子们都知道他们不能随便爬到上面去，不过有时他们得到许可爬上去，两人走到一起，在玫瑰花下坐在小凳子上。他们可以在这儿玩个痛快。
        　　??这种消遣到冬天就完了。窗子上常常结满了冰。可是这时他们就在炉子上热一个铜板，把它贴在窗玻璃上，溶出一个小小的、圆圆的窥孔来！每个窗子的窥孔后面有一个美丽的、温和的眼珠在偷望。这就是那个小男孩和那个小女孩。男孩的名字叫加伊；女孩叫格尔达。
        　　??在夏天，他们只需一跳就可以来到一起；不过在冬天，得先走下一大段梯子，然后又爬上一大段梯子。外面在飞着雪花。
        　　??“那是白色的蜜蜂在集合。”年老的祖母说。
        　　??“它们也有一个蜂后吗？”那个小男孩子问。因为他知道，真正的蜜蜂群中都有一个蜂后。
        　　??“是的，它们有一个！”祖母说，“凡是蜜蜂最密集的地方，她就会飞来的。她是最大的一个蜜蜂。她从来不在这世界上安安静静地活着；她一会儿就飞到浓密的蜂群中去了。她常常在冬夜飞过城市的街道，朝窗子里面望。窗子上结着奇奇怪怪的冰块，好像开着花朵似的。”
        　　??“是的，这个我已经看到过！”两个孩子齐声说。他们知道这是真的。
        　　??“雪后能走进这儿来吗？”小女孩子问。
        　　??“只要你让她进来，”男孩子说，“我就要请她坐在温暖的炉子上，那么她就会融化成水了。”
        　　??不过老祖母把他的头发理了一下，又讲些别的故事。
        　　??晚间，当小小的加伊在家里、衣服脱了一半的时候，他就爬到窗旁的椅子上去，从那个小窥孔朝外望。有好几片雪花在外面徐徐地落下来，它们中间最大的一片落在花匣子的边上。这朵雪花越长越大，最后变成了一个女人。她披着最细的、像无数颗星星一样的雪花织成的白纱。她非常美丽和娇嫩，不过她是冰块——发着亮光的、闪耀着的冰块——所形成的。然而她是有生命的：她的眼睛发着光，像两颗明亮的星星；不过她的眼睛里没有和平，也没有安静。她对着加伊点头和招手。这个小男孩害怕起来。他跳下椅子，觉得窗子外面好像有一只巨鸟在飞过去似的。
        　　??第二天下了一场寒霜……接着就是解冻……春天到来了。太阳照耀着，绿芽冒出来，燕子筑起巢，窗子开了，小孩子们又高高地坐在楼顶水笕上的小花园里。
            
            

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        　　??玫瑰花在这个夏天开得真是分外美丽！小女孩念熟了一首圣诗，那里就提到玫瑰花。谈起玫瑰花，她就不禁想起了自己的花儿。于是她就对小男孩子唱出这首圣诗，同时他也唱起来：
        　　??山谷里玫瑰花长得丰茂，
        　　??那儿我们遇见圣婴耶稣。
        　　??这两个小家伙手挽着手，吻着玫瑰花，望着上帝的光耀的太阳，对它讲话，好像圣婴耶稣就在那儿似的。这是多么晴朗的夏天啊！在外面，在那些玫瑰花丛之间，一切是多么美丽啊——这些玫瑰花好像永远开不尽似的！
        　　??加伊和格尔达坐着看绘有鸟儿和动物的画册。这时那个大教堂塔上的钟恰恰敲了五下。于是加伊说：
        　　??“啊！有件东西刺着我的心！有件东西落进我的眼睛里去了！”
        　　??小女孩搂着他的脖子。他眨着眼睛。不，他什么东西也没有看见。
        　　??“我想没有什么了！”他说。但事实并不是这样。落下来的正是从那个镜子上裂下来的一块玻璃碎片。我们还记得很清楚，那是一面魔镜，一块丑恶的玻璃。它把所有伟大和善良的东西都照得藐小和可憎，但是却把所有鄙俗和罪恶的东西映得突出，同时把每一件东西的缺点弄得大家注意起来。可怜的小加伊的心里也粘上了这么一块碎片，而他的心也就立刻变得像冰块。他并不感到不愉快，但碎片却藏在他的心里。
        　　??“你为什么要哭呢？”他问。“这把你的样子弄得真难看！我一点也不喜欢这个样子。呸！”他忽然叫了一声：“那朵玫瑰花被虫吃掉了！你看，这一朵也长歪了！它们的确是一些丑玫瑰！它们真像栽着它们的那个匣子！”
        　　??于是他把这匣子狠狠地踢了一脚，把那两棵玫瑰花全拔掉了。
        　　??“加伊，你在干嘛？”小女孩叫起来。
        　　??他一看到她惊惶的样子，马上又拔掉了另一棵玫瑰。于是他跳进他的窗子里去，让温柔的小格尔达待在外边。
        　　??当她后来拿着画册跟着走进来的时候，他说这本书只配给吃奶的小孩子看。当祖母在讲故事的时候，他总是插进去一个“但是……”，当他一有机会的时候，就偷偷地跟在她的后面，戴着一副老花镜，学着她的模样讲话：他学得很巧妙，弄得大家都对他笑起来。不久他就学会了模仿街上行人的谈话和走路。凡是人们身上的古怪和丑恶的东西，加伊都会模仿。大家都说：“这个孩子，他的头脑一定很特别！”然而这全是因为他眼睛里藏着一块玻璃碎片，心里也藏着一块玻璃碎片的缘故。他甚至于还讥笑起小小的格尔达来——这位全心全意爱他的格尔达。
        　　??他的游戏显然跟以前有些不同了，他玩得比以前聪明得多。在一个冬天的日子里，当雪花正在飞舞的时候，他拿着一面放大镜走出来，提起他的蓝色上衣的下摆，让雪花落到它上面。
            
            

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        　　??“格尔达，你来看看这面镜子吧！”他说。
        　　??每一片雪花被放大了，像一朵美丽的花儿，或一颗有六个尖角的星星。这真是非常美妙。
        　　??“你看，这是多么巧妙啊！”加伊说，“这比真正的花儿要有趣得多：它里面一点毛病也没有——只要它们不融解，是非常整齐的。”
        　　??不一会儿，加伊戴着厚手套，背着一个雪橇走过来。他对着格尔达的耳朵叫着说：“我匣子得到了许可到广场那儿去——许多别的孩子都在那儿玩耍。”于是他就走了。
        　　??在广场上，那些最大胆的孩子常常把他们的雪橇系在乡下人的马车后边，然后坐在雪橇上跑好长一段路。他们跑得非常高兴。当他们正在玩耍的时候，有一架大雪橇滑过来了。它漆得雪白，上面坐着一个人，身穿厚毛的白皮袍，头戴厚毛的白帽子。这雪橇绕着广场滑了两圈。于是加伊连忙把自己的雪橇系在它上面，跟着它一起滑。它越滑越快，一直滑到邻近的一条街上去。滑着雪橇的那人掉过头来，和善地对加伊点了点头。他们好像是彼此认识似的。每一次当加伊想解开自己的小雪橇的时候，这个人就又跟他点点头；于是加伊就又坐下来了。这么着，他们一直滑出城门。这时雪花在密密地下着，这孩子伸手不见五指，然而他还是在向前滑。他现在急速地松开绳子，想从那个大雪橇摆脱开来。但是一点用也没有，他的小雪橇系得很牢。它们像风一样向前滑。这时他大声地叫起来，但是谁也不理他。雪花在飞着，雪橇也在飞着。它们不时向上一跳，好像在飞过篱笆和沟渠似的。他非常害怕起来。他想念念祷告，不过他只记得起那张乘法表。
        　　??雪越下越大了。最后雪花看起来像巨大的白鸡。那架大雪橇忽然向旁边一跳，停住了；那个滑雪橇的人站起来。这人的皮衣和帽子完全是雪花做成的。这原来是个女子，长得又高又苗条，全身闪着白光。她就是白雪皇后。
        　　??“我们滑行得很好，”她说，“不过你在冻得发抖吧？钻进我的皮衣里来吧。”
        　　??她把他抱进她的雪橇，让他坐在她的身边，她还用自己的皮衣把他裹好。他好像是坠到雪堆里去了似的。
        　　??“你还感到冷吗？”她问，把他的前额吻了一下。
        　　??啊！这一吻比冰块还要冷！它一直透进他那一半已经成了冰块的心里——他觉得自己好像快要死了。不过这种感觉没有持续多久、便马上觉得舒服起来。他也不再觉得周围的寒冷了。
        　　??“我的雪橇！不要忘记我的雪橇！”
        　　??这是他所想到的第一件事情。它已经被牢牢地系在一只白鸡上了，而这只肉鸡正背着雪橇在他们后面飞。白雪皇后又把加伊吻了一下。从此他完全忘记了小小的格尔达、祖母和家里所有的人。
            
            

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        　　??“你现在再也不需要什么吻了，”她说，“因为如果你再要的话，我会把你吻死的。”
        　　??加伊望着她。她是那么美丽，他再也想象不出比这更漂亮和聪明的面孔。跟以前她坐在窗子外边对他招手时的那副样儿不同，她现在一点也不像是雪做的。在他的眼睛里，她是完美无缺的；他现在一点也不感到害怕。他告诉她，说他会算心算，连分数都算得出来；他知道国家的整个面积和居民。她只是微笑着。这时他似乎觉得，自己所知道的东西还不太多。他抬头向广阔的天空望；她带着他一起飞到乌云上面去。暴风在吹着，呼啸着，好像在唱着古老的歌儿。他们飞过树林和湖泊，飞过大海和陆地；在他们的下边，寒风在怒号，豺狼在呼啸，雪花在发出闪光。上空飞着一群尖叫的乌鸦。但更上面亮着一轮明朗的月亮，加伊在这整个漫长的冬夜里一直望着它。天亮的时候他在雪后的脚下睡着了。
        　　第三个故事：一个会变魔术的女人的花园
        　　??当加伊没有回来的时候，小小的格尔达的心情是怎样的呢？他到什么地方去了呢？谁也不知道，谁也没有带来什么消息。有些男孩子告诉她说，他们看到他把雪橇系到一个漂亮的大雪橇上，开上街道，滑出了城门。谁也不知道他在什么地方。许多人流过眼泪，小小的格尔达哭得特别久，特别伤心。后来大家认为他死了——落到流过城边的那条河里淹死了。啊，那是多么黑暗和漫长的冬天日子啊！
        　　??现在春天带着温暖的太阳光来了。
        　　??“加伊死了，不见了！”小小的格尔达说。
        　　??“我不相信！”太阳光说。
        　　??“他死了，不见了！”她对燕子说。
        　　??“我不相信！”它们回答说。最后，小格尔达自己也不相信了。
        　　??“我将穿起我的那双新红鞋，”她有一天早晨说，“那双加伊从来没有看到过的鞋。然后我就到河边去寻找他！”
        　　??这时天还很早。她把还在睡觉的老祖母吻了一下，于是便穿上她的那双红鞋，单独走出城外，到河边去。
        　　??“你真的把我亲爱的玩伴带走了吗？如果你把他还给我，我就把这双红鞋送给你！”
        　　??她似乎觉得波浪在对她奇怪地点着头。于是她脱下她最心爱的东西——红鞋。她把这双鞋抛到河里去。可是它们落得离岸很近，浪花又把它们打回岸上，送还给她。这条河似乎不愿意接受她这件心爱的东西，因为它没有把她亲爱的加伊夺走。不过她以为她把这双鞋抛得不够远。因此就钻进停在芦苇中的一只船里去。她走到船的另一端，把这双鞋扔出去。但是这船没有系牢，她一动就把船弄得从岸边漂走了。她一发现这情形，就想赶快离开船，但是在她还没有到达另一端以前，船已经离开岸有一亚伦①远了。它漂得比以前更快。