The Snow Queen (9)

The Snow Queen (9)

Gerda asked everyone where Kay had gone but no-one knew.

The boys thought he was drowned and dead, but she did not believe them.

When spring came she decided to go in search of him.

She put on her new shoes and went to ask the river if it had taken Kay away from her.

" I will give you my red shoes, " she said, 　" if you will give him back to me. "

She took off her shoes and threw them into the water, but the river carried them back to her.

Gerda thought she had not thrown them far enough, and she got into a boat to reach further out over the water.

Then she threw her shoes into the river again, and as she did so the boat began to drift downstream.

Soon it was too far from land for Gerda to escape, and she was carried along for hours with her red shoes floating behind.

At last the boat passed close by a little cottage with a cherry orchard.

Out came an old woman learning on a crutch.

Then she hooked her crutch in the boat and drew it closer, and then she lifted Gerda out.



" Tell me who you are , and what you are doing so far away along the river, " she said, and Gerda told her everything.

" Have you seen Kay ? " she asked.

The old woman said she had not seen him, but some day he would come there.

Then she invited Gerda to come inside and eat cherries and have her hair combed.
The more the old woman combed her hair, the more Gerda forgot kay.



(9/18)

タグ：The Snow Queen 雪の女王