The Snow Queen (12)

The Snow Queen (12)

First she met a crow who told her that Kay was married to a princess and living in a palace, but when Gerda went to find him it was not Kay at all.

Still, the Prince and Princess gave little Gerda a carriage and a horse and good boots and fur gloves to keep her hands warm, and on she drove to find her playmate Kay.

Then she went through a dark wood where robbers lived.

The robbers stopped the carriage and were going to kill Gerda and eat her, but a little robber girl wanted Gerda for a pet.

" She will play with me, " said the little robber girl, " and I shall have her boots and gloves and her dress to wear. No-one will kill her if I want her to live. And she will stay alive as long as I do not get angry with her."

" Are you aprincess ? " she asked Gerda.

" No, " said little Gerda, and then she told all her story, how she was looking for Kay and had been tricked by the Witch in the cherry orchard.

(12/18)