TheSnowQueen--Andersen白雪皇后(冰雪女王)--安徒生(中英图文) 安徒生童话白雪公主

儿时，家里堆满了连环画(我们称之为“小人书)。彼时不懂，现在想来，中国古典、外国名著应有尽有。当时年幼不认得字，但那些惟妙惟肖、美轮美奂的画面却深深地印在了脑海里。那日，望着窗外恣意飞舞的雪花，一个和雪有关的故事忽然浮现。虽情节已然支离破碎，几帧唯美图像的翩然而至，却将我带回到天真烂漫、好奇无限的童年。于是，靠几个依稀的词搜遍网络，寻找那个依稀的故事，尤其是那冷艳绝美的画面，希冀重温儿时的心悸。终因年代久远，踏破铁鞋也难觅记忆中的美丽。所幸，不朽的作品总会以各种形式存在于世。数日下来，尽管所得图片不统一，译文和英文也有差异，能缀起记忆的碎片，也算是一种慰藉吧。

The SnowQueen
In Seven Stories
by
Hans Christian Andersen
(1845)

Storythe First, Which Treats of a Mirror and of theSplinters.

SecondStroy: A Little Boy and a Little Girl
Third Story: The Flower Garden of the Woman Who CouldConjure
FourthStroy: The Prince and Princess
FifthStory: Little Robber-Girl
Sixth Story: The Lapland Woman and the FinlandWoman
SeventhStory: Of the Palace of the Snow Queen and What Happened There AtLast

FIRST STORY. WhichTreats of a Mirror and of the Splinters

　 Now then, let us begin. Whenwe are at the end of the story, we shall know more than we knownow: but to begin.
　　Once upon a time there was a wicked sprite, indeed he wasthe most mischievous of all sprites. One day he was in a very goodhumor, for he had made a mirror with the power of causing all thatwas good and beautiful when it was reflected therein, to look poorand mean; but that which was good-for-nothing and looked ugly wasshown magnified and increased in ugliness. In this mirror the mostbeautiful landscapes looked like boiled spinach, and the bestpersons were turned into frights, or appeared to stand on theirheads; their faces were so distorted that they were not to berecognised; and if anyone had amole, you might be sure that itwould be magnified and spread over both nose and mouth.
　　"That's glorious fun!" said the sprite. If a good thought passedthrough a man's mind, then a grin was seen in the mirror, and thesprite laughed heartily at his clever discovery. All the littlesprites who went to his school--for he kept a sprite school--toldeach other that a miracle had happened; and that now only, as theythought, it would be possible to see how the world really looked.They ran about with the mirror; and at last there was not a land ora person who was not represented distorted in the mirror. So thenthey thought they would fly up to the sky, and have a joke there.The higher they flew with the mirror, the more terribly it grinned:they could hardly hold it fast. Higher and higher still they flew,nearer and nearer to the stars, when suddenly the mirror shook soterribly with grinning, that it flew out of their hands and fell tothe earth, where it was dashed in a hundred million and morepieces. And now it worked much more evil than before; for some ofthese pieces were hardly so large as a grain of sand, and they flewabout in the wide world, and when they got into people's eyes,there they stayed; and then people saw everything perverted, oronly had an eye for that which was evil. This happened because thevery smallest bit had the same power which the whole mirror hadpossessed. Some persons even got a splinter in their heart, andthen it made one shudder, for their heart became like a lump ofice. Some of the broken pieces were so large that they were usedfor windowpanes, through which one could not see one's friends.Other pieces were put in spectacles; and that was a sad affair whenpeople put on their glasses to see well and rightly. Then thewicked sprite laughed till he almost choked, for all this tickledhis fancy. The fine splinters still flew about in theair: and nowwe shall hear what happenednext.

SECOND STORY. A Little Boyand a Little Girl

In a large town, where there are somany houses, and so many people, that there is no roof left foreverybody to have a little garden; and where, on this account, mostpersons are obliged to content themselves with flowers in pots;there lived two little children, who had a garden somewhat largerthan a flower-pot. They were not brother and sister; but they caredfor each other as much as if they were. Their parents lived exactlyopposite. They inhabited two garrets; and where the roof of the onehouse joined that of the other, and the gutter ran along theextreme end of it, there was to each house a small window: oneneeded only to step over the gutter to get from one window to theother.
　　The children's parents had large wooden boxes there, in whichvegetables for the kitchen were planted, and little rose treesbesides: there was a rose in each box, and they grew splendidly.They now thought of placing the boxes across the gutter, so thatthey nearly reached from one window to the other, and looked justlike two walls of flowers. The tendrils of the peas hung down overthe boxes; and the rose-trees shot up long branches, twined roundthe windows, and then bent towards each other: it was almost like atriumphant arch of foliage and flowers. The boxes were very high,and the children knew that they must not creep over them; so theyoften obtained permission to get out of the windows to each other,and to sit on their little stools among the roses, where they couldplay delightfully. In winter there was an end of this pleasure. Thewindows were often frozen over; but then they heated copperfarthings on the stove, and laid the hot farthing on thewindowpane, and then they had a capital peep-hole, quite nicelyrounded; and out of each peeped a gentle friendly eye--it was thelittle boy and the little girl who were looking out. His name wasKay, hers was Gerda. In summer, with one jump, they could get toeach other; but in winter they were obliged first to go down thelong stairs, and then up the long stairs again: and out-of-doorsthere was quite a snow-storm.
　　"It is the white bees that are swarming," said Kay's oldgrandmother.
　　"Do the white bees choose a queen?" asked the little boy; for heknew that the honey-bees always have one.
　　"Yes," said the grandmother, "she flies where the swarm hangs inthe thickest clusters. She is the largest of all; and she can neverremain quietly on the earth, but goes up again into the blackclouds. Many a winter's night she flies through the streets of thetown, and peeps in at the windows; and they then freeze in sowondrous a manner that they look like flowers.""Yes, I have seenit," said both the children; and so they knew that it wastrue.
　　"Can the Snow Queen come in?" said the little girl.
　　"Only let her come in!" said the little boy. "Then I'd put her onthe stove, and she'd melt."And then his grandmother patted his headand told him other stories.
　　In the evening, when little Kay was at home, and half undressed,he climbed upon the chair by the window, and peeped out of thelittle hole. A few snow-flakes were falling, and one, the largestof all, remained lying on the edge of a flower-pot.
　　The flake of snow grew larger and larger; and at last it was likea young lady, dressed in the finest white gauze, made of a millionlittle flakes like stars. She was so beautiful and delicate, butshe was of ice, of dazzling, sparkling ice; yet she lived; her eyesgazed fixedly, like two stars; but there was neither quiet norrepose in them. She nodded towards the window, and beckoned withher hand. The little boy was frightened, and jumped down from thechair; it seemed to him as if, at the same moment, a large birdflew past the window.
　　The next day it was a sharp frost--and then the spring came; thesun shone, the green leaves appeared, the swallows built theirnests, the windows were opened, and the little children again satin their pretty garden, high up on the leads at the top of thehouse.
　　That summer the roses flowered in unwonted beauty. The littlegirl had learned a hymn, in which there was something about roses;and then she thought of her own flowers; and she sang the verse tothe little boy, who then sang it with her:
　　"The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet, And angels descendthere the children to greet."And the children held each other bythe hand, kissed the roses, looked up at the clear sunshine, andspoke as though they really saw angels there. What lovelysummer-days those were! How delightful to be out in the air, nearthe fresh rose-bushes, that seem as if they would never finishblossoming!
　　Kay and Gerda looked at the picture-book full of beasts and ofbirds; and it was then--the clock in the church-tower was juststriking five--that Kay said, "Oh! I feel such a sharp pain in myheart; and now something has got into my eye!"The little girl puther arms around his neck. He winked his eyes; now there was nothingto be seen.
　　"I think it is out now," said he; but it was not. It was just oneof those pieces of glass from the magic mirror that had got intohis eye; and poor Kay had got another piece right in his heart. Itwill soon become like ice. It did not hurt any longer, but there itwas.
　　"What are you crying for?" asked he. "You look so ugly! There'snothing the matter with me. Ah," said he at once, "that rose iscankered! And look, this one is quite crooked! After all, theseroses are very ugly! They are just like the box they are plantedin!" And then he gave the box a good kick with his foot, and pulledboth the roses up.
　　"What are you doing?" cried the little girl; and as he perceivedher fright, he pulled up another rose, got in at the window, andhastened off from dear little Gerda.
　　Afterwards, when she brought her picture-book, he asked, "Whathorrid beasts have you there?" And if his grandmother told themstories, he always interrupted her; besides, if he could manage it,he would get behind her, put on her spectacles, and imitate her wayof speaking; he copied all her ways, and then everybody laughed athim. He was soon able to imitate the gait and manner of everyone inthe street. Everything that was peculiar and displeasing inthem--that Kay knew how to imitate: and at such times all thepeople said, "The boy is certainly very clever!" But it was theglass he had got in his eye; the glass that was sticking in hisheart, which made him tease even little Gerda, whose whole soul wasdevoted to him.
　　His games now were quite different to what they had formerlybeen, they were so very knowing. One winter's day, when the flakesof snow were flying about, he spread the skirts of his blue coat,and caught the snow as it fell.
　　"Look through this glass, Gerda," said he. And every flake seemedlarger, and appeared like a magnificent flower, or beautiful star;it was splendid to look at!
　　"Look, how clever!" said Kay. "That's much more interesting thanreal flowers!
　　They are as exact as possible; there is not a fault in them, ifthey did not melt!"It was not long after this, that Kay came oneday with large gloves on, and his little sledge at his back, andbawled right into Gerda's ears, "I have permission to go out intothe square where the others are playing"; and off he was in amoment.
　　There, in the market-place, some of the boldest of the boys usedto tie their sledges to the carts as they passed by, and so theywere pulled along, and got a good ride. It was so capital! Just asthey were in the very height of their amusement, a large sledgepassed by: it was painted quite white, and there was someone in itwrapped up in a rough white mantle of fur, with a rough white furcap on his head. The sledge drove round the square twice, and Kaytied on his sledge as quickly as he could, and off he drove withit. On they went quicker and quicker into the next street; and theperson who drove turned round to Kay, and nodded to him in afriendly manner, just as if they knew each other. Every time he wasgoing to untie his sledge, the person nodded to him, and then Kaysat quiet; and so on they went till they came outside the gates ofthe town. Then the snow began to fall so thickly that the littleboy could not see an arm's length before him, but still on he went:when suddenly he let go the string he held in his hand in order toget loose from the sledge, but it was of no use; still the littlevehicle rushed on with the quickness of the wind. He then cried asloud as he could, but no one heard him; the snow drifted and thesledge flew on, and sometimes it gave a jerk as though they weredriving over hedges and ditches. He was quite frightened, and hetried to repeat the Lord's Prayer; but all he could do, he was onlyable to remember the multiplication table.
　　The snow-flakes grew larger and larger, till at last they lookedjust like great white fowls. Suddenly they flew on one side; thelarge sledge stopped, and the person who drove rose up. It was alady; her cloak and cap were of snow. She was tall and of slenderfigure, and of a dazzling whiteness. It was the Snow Queen.
　.

　　"We have travelled fast," said she;"but it is freezingly cold. Come under my bearskin." And she puthim in the sledge beside her, wrapped the fur round him, and hefelt as though he were sinking in a snow-wreath.
　　"Are you still cold?" asked she; and then she kissed hisforehead. Ah! it was colder than ice; it penetrated to his veryheart, which was already almost a frozen lump; it seemed to him asif he were about to die--but a moment more and it was quitecongenial to him, and he did not remark the cold that was aroundhim.
　　"My sledge! Do not forget my sledge!" It was the first thing hethought of. It was there tied to one of the white chickens, whoflew along with it on his back behind the large sledge. The SnowQueen kissed Kay once more, and then he forgot little Gerda,grandmother, and all whom he had left at hishome.

"Now you will have no more kisses,"said she, "or else I should kiss you to death!"Kay looked at her.She was very beautiful; a more clever, or a more lovely countenancehe could not fancy to himself; and she no longer appeared of ice asbefore, when she sat outside the window, and beckoned to him; inhis eyes she was perfect, he did not fear her at all, and told herthat he could calculate in his head and with fractions, even; thathe knew the number of square miles there were in the differentcountries, and how many inhabitants they contained; and she smiledwhile he spoke. It then seemed to him as if what he knew was notenough, and he looked upwards in the large huge empty space abovehim, and on she flew with him; flew high over the black clouds,while the storm moaned and whistled as though it were singing someold tune.
　　On they flew over woods and lakes, over seas, and many lands; andbeneath them the chilling storm rushed fast, the wolves howled, thesnow crackled; above them flew large screaming crows, but higher upappeared the moon, quite large and bright; and it was on it thatKay gazed during the long long winter's night;while by day he slept at the feet of the SnowQueen.

THIRD STORY. Of theFlower-Garden At the Old Woman's Who UnderstoodWitchcraft

　　But what became of little Gerda whenKay did not return? Where could he be?
　　Nobody knew; nobody could give any intelligence. All the boysknew was, that they had seen him tie his sledge to another largeand splendid one, which drove down the street and out of the town.Nobody knew where he was; many sad tears were shed, and littleGerda wept long and bitterly; at last she said he must be dead;that he had been drowned in the river which flowed close to thetown. Oh! those were very long and dismal winter evenings!
　　At last spring came, with its warm sunshine.
　　"Kay is dead and gone!" said little Gerda.
　　"That I don't believe," said the Sunshine.
　　"Kay is dead and gone!" said she to the Swallows.
　　"That I don't believe," said they: and at last little Gerda didnot think so any longer either.
　　"I'll put on my red shoes," said she, one morning; "Kay has neverseen them, and then I'll go down to the river and ask there."It wasquite early; she kissed her old grandmother, who was still asleep,put on her red shoes, and went alone to the river.
　　"Is it true that you have taken my little playfellow? I will makeyou a present of my red shoes, if you will give him back tome."And, as it seemed to her, the blue waves nodded in a strangemanner; then she took off her red shoes, the most precious thingsshe possessed, and threw them both into the river. But they fellclose to the bank, and the little waves bore them immediately toland; it was as if the stream would not take what was dearest toher; for in reality it had not got little Kay; but Gerda thoughtthat she had not thrown the shoes out far enough, so she clamberedinto a boat which lay among the rushes, went to the farthest end,and threw out the shoes.

.

　　But the boat was not fastened, andthe motion which she occasioned, made it drift from the shore. Sheobserved this, and hastened to get back; but before she could doso, the boat was more than a yard from the land, and was glidingquickly onward.
　　Little Gerda was very frightened, and began to cry; but no oneheard her except the sparrows, and they could not carry her toland; but they flew along the bank, and sang as if to comfort her,"Here we are! Here we are!" The boat drifted with the stream,little Gerda sat quite still without shoes, for they were swimmingbehind the boat, but she could not reach them, because the boatwent much faster than they did.
　　The banks on both sides were beautiful; lovely flowers, venerabletrees, and slopes with sheep and cows, but not a human being was tobe seen.
　　"Perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay," said she; andthen she grew less sad. She rose, and looked for many hours at thebeautiful green banks.
　　Presently she sailed by a large cherry-orchard, where was alittle cottage with curious red and blue windows; it was thatched,and before it two wooden soldiers stood sentry, and presented armswhen anyone went past.
　　Gerda called to them, for she thought they were alive; but they,of course, did not answer. She came close to them, for the streamdrifted the boat quite near the land.
　　Gerda called still louder, and an old woman then came out of thecottage, leaning upon a crooked stick. She had a largebroad-brimmed hat on, painted with the most splendid flowers.
　　"Poor little child!" said the old woman. "How did you get uponthe large rapid river, to be driven about so in the wide world!"And then the old woman went into the water, caught hold of the boatwith her crooked stick, drew it to the bank, and lifted littleGerda out.
　　And Gerda was so glad to be on dry land again; but she was ratherafraid of the strange old woman.
　　"But come and tell me who you are, and how you came here," saidshe.
　　And Gerda told her all; and the old woman shook her head andsaid, "A-hem!
　　a-hem!" and when Gerda had told her everything, and asked her ifshe had not seen little Kay, the woman answered that he had notpassed there, but he no doubt would come; and she told her not tobe cast down, but taste her cherries, and look at her flowers,which were finer than any in a picture-book, each of which couldtell a whole story. She then took Gerda by the hand, led her intothe little cottage, and locked the door.
　　The windows were very high up; the glass was red, blue, andgreen, and the sunlight shone through quite wondrously in all sortsof colors. On the table stood the most exquisite cherries, andGerda ate as many as she chose, for she had permission to do so.While she was eating, the old woman combed her hair with a goldencomb, and her hair curled and shone with a lovely golden coloraround that sweet little face, which was so round and so like arose.

FOURTH STORY. The Princeand Princess

　　Gerda was obliged to rest herselfagain, when, exactly opposite to her, a large Raven came hoppingover the white snow. He had long been looking at Gerda and shakinghis head; and now he said, "Caw! Caw!" Good day! Goodday!

　　He could not say it better; but hefelt a sympathy for the little girl, and asked her where she wasgoing all alone. The word "alone" Gerda understood quite well, andfelt how much was expressed by it; so she told the Raven her wholehistory, and asked if he had not seen Kay.
　　The Raven nodded very gravely, and said, "It may be--it maybe!""What, do you really think so?" cried the little girl; and shenearly squeezed the Raven to death, so much did she kiss him.
　　"Gently, gently," said the Raven. "I think I know; I think thatit may be little Kay. But now he has forgotten you for thePrincess.""Does he live with a Princess?" asked Gerda.
　　"Yes--listen," said the Raven; "but it will be difficult for meto speak your language. If you understand the Raven language I cantell you better.""No, I have not learnt it," said Gerda; "but mygrandmother understands it, and she can speak gibberish too. I wishI had learnt it.""No matter," said the Raven; "I will tell you aswell as I can; however, it will be bad enough." And then he toldall he knew.
　　"In the kingdom where we now are there lives a Princess, who isextraordinarily clever; for she has read all the newspapers in thewhole world, and has forgotten them again--so clever is she. Shewas lately, it is said, sitting on her throne--which is not veryamusing after all--when she began humming an old tune, and it wasjust, 'Oh, why should I not be married?'
　　'That song is not without its meaning,' said she, and so then shewas determined to marry; but she would have a husband who knew howto give an answer when he was spoken to--not one who looked only asif he were a great personage, for that is so tiresome. She then hadall the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heardher intention, all were very pleased, and said, 'We are very gladto hear it; it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You maybelieve every word I say," said the Raven; "for I have a tamesweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free, and it was shewho told me all this.
　　"The newspapers appeared forthwith with a border of hearts andthe initials of the Princess; and therein you might read that everygood-looking young man was at liberty to come to the palace andspeak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as showed hefelt himself at home there, that one the Princess would choose forher husband.
　　"Yes, Yes," said the Raven, "you may believe it; it is as true asI am sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush and ahurry, but no one was successful either on the first or second day.They could all talk well enough when they were out in the street;but as soon as they came inside the palace gates, and saw the guardrichly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in gold on the staircase,and the large illuminated saloons, then they were abashed; and whenthey stood before the throne on which the Princess was sitting, allthey could do was to repeat the last word they had uttered, and tohear it again did not interest her very much. It was just as if thepeople within were under a charm, and had fallen into a trance tillthey came out again into the street; for then--oh, then--they couldchatter enough. There was a whole row of them standing from thetown-gates to the palace. I was there myself to look," said theRaven. "They grew hungry and thirsty; but from the palace they gotnothing whatever, not even a glass of water. Some of the cleverest,it is true, had taken bread and butter with them: but none sharedit with his neighbor, for each thought, 'Let him look hungry, andthen the Princess won't have him.'""But Kay--little Kay," saidGerda, "when did he come? Was he among the number?""Patience,patience; we are just come to him. It was on the third day when alittle personage without horse or equipage, came marching rightboldly up to the palace; his eyes shone like yours, he hadbeautiful long hair, but his clothes were very shabby.""That wasKay," cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. "Oh, now I've foundhim!" and she clapped her hands for joy.
　　"He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Raven.
　　"No, that was certainly his sledge," said Gerda; "for when hewent away he took his sledge with him.""That may be," said theRaven; "I did not examine him so minutely; but I know from my tamesweetheart, that when he came into the court-yard of the palace,and saw the body-guard in silver, the lackeys on the staircase, hewas not the least abashed; he nodded, and said to them, 'It must bevery tiresome to stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in.'The saloons were gleaming with lustres--privy councillors andexcellencies were walking about barefooted, and wore gold keys; itwas enough to make any one feel uncomfortable. His boots creaked,too, so loudly, but still he was not at all afraid.""That's Kay forcertain," said Gerda. "I know he had on new boots; I have heardthem creaking in grandmama's room.""Yes, they creaked," said theRaven. "And on he went boldly up to the Princess, who was sittingon a pearl as large as a spinning-wheel. All the ladies of thecourt, with their attendants and attendants' attendants, and allthe cavaliers, with their gentlemen and gentlemen's gentlemen,stood round; and the nearer they stood to the door, the prouderthey looked. It was hardly possible to look at the gentleman'sgentleman, so very haughtily did he stand in the doorway.""It musthave been terrible," said little Gerda. "And did Kay get thePrincess?""Were I not a Raven, I should have taken the Princessmyself, although I am promised. It is said he spoke as well as Ispeak when I talk Raven language; this I learned from my tamesweetheart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to woothe Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased him, and hepleased her.""Yes, yes; for certain that was Kay," said Gerda. "Hewas so clever; he could reckon fractions in his head. Oh, won't youtake me to the palace?""That is very easily said," answered theRaven. "But how are we to manage it?
　　I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it: she must advise us;for so much I must tell you, such a little girl as you are willnever get permission to enter.""Oh, yes I shall," said Gerda; "whenKay hears that I am here, he will come out directly to fetchme.""Wait for me here on these steps," said the Raven. He moved hishead backwards and forwards and flew away.
　　The evening was closing in when the Raven returned. "Caw--caw!"said he. "She sends you her compliments; and here is a roll foryou. She took it out of the kitchen, where there is bread enough.You are hungry, no doubt. It is not possible for you to enter thepalace, for you are barefooted: the guards in silver, and thelackeys in gold, would not allow it; but do not cry, you shall comein still. My sweetheart knows a little back stair that leads to thebedchamber, and she knows where she can get the key of it."And theywent into the garden in the large avenue, where one leaf wasfalling after the other; and when the lights in the palace had allgradually disappeared, the Raven led little Gerda to the back door,which stood half open.
　　Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with anxiety and longing! It was justas if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet she onlywanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must be there. Shecalled to mind his intelligent eyes, and his long hair, so vividly,she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they were sittingunder the roses at home. "He will, no doubt, be glad to see you--tohear what a long way you have come for his sake; to know howunhappy all at home were when he did not come back."Oh, what afright and a joy it was!
　　They were now on the stairs. A single lamp was burning there; andon the floor stood the tame Raven, turning her head on every sideand looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother had taught herto do.　　"My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear younglady," said the tame Raven. "Your tale is very affecting. If youwill take the lamp, I will go before. We will go straight on, forwe shall meet no one.""I think there is somebody just behind us,"said Gerda; and something rushed past: it was like shadowy figureson the wall; horses with flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen,ladies and gentlemen on horseback.

　　"They are only dreams," said theRaven. "They come to fetch the thoughts of the high personages tothe chase; 'tis well, for now you can observe them in bed all thebetter. But let me find, when you enjoy honor and distinction, thatyou possess a grateful heart.""Tut! That's not worth talkingabout," said the Raven of the woods.
　　They now entered the first saloon, which was of rose-coloredsatin, with artificial flowers on the wall. Here the dreams wererushing past, but they hastened by so quickly that Gerda could notsee the high personages. One hall was more magnificent than theother; one might indeed well be abashed; and at last they came intothe bedchamber. The ceiling of the room resembled a large palm-treewith leaves of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle, from athick golden stem, hung two beds, each of which resembled a lily.One was white, and in this lay the Princess; the other was red, andit was here that Gerda was to look for little Kay. She bent backone of the red leaves, and saw a brown neck. Oh! that was Kay! Shecalled him quite loud by name, held the lamp towards him--thedreams rushed back again into the chamber--he awoke, turned hishead, and--it was not little Kay!
　　The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was young andhandsome.
　　And out of the white lily leaves the Princess peeped, too, andasked what was the matter. Then little Gerda cried, and told herher whole history, and all that the Ravens had done for her.
　　"Poor little thing!" said the Prince and the Princess. Theypraised the Ravens very much, and told them they were not at allangry with them, but they were not to do so again. However, theyshould have a reward. "Will you fly about here at liberty," askedthe Princess; "or would you like to have a fixed appointment ascourt ravens, with all the broken bits from the kitchen?"And boththe Ravens nodded, and begged for a fixed appointment; for theythought of their old age, and said, "It is a good thing to have aprovision for our old days."And the Prince got up and let Gerdasleep in his bed, and more than this he could not do. She foldedher little hands and thought, "How good men and animals are!" andshe then fell asleep and slept soundly. All the dreams flew inagain, and they now looked like the angels; they drew a littlesledge, in which little Kay sat and nodded his head; but the wholewas only a dream, and therefore it all vanished as soon as sheawoke.
　　The next day she was dressed from head to foot in silk andvelvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead ahappy life; but she begged to have a little carriage with a horsein front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she wouldagain go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.
　　Shoes and a muff were given her; she was, too, dressed verynicely; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage stoppedbefore the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of the Princeand Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman, the footmen,and the outriders, for outriders were there, too, all wore goldencrowns. The Prince and the Princess assisted her into the carriagethemselves, and wished her all success. The Raven of the woods, whowas now married, accompanied her for the first three miles. He satbeside Gerda, for he could not bear riding backwards; the otherRaven stood in the doorway, and flapped her wings; she could notaccompany Gerda, because she suffered from headache since she hadhad a fixed appointment and ate so much.
　　The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seatswere fruits and gingerbread.
　　"Farewell! Farewell!" cried Prince and Princess; and Gerda wept,and the Raven wept. Thus passed the first miles; and then the Ravenbade her farewell, and this was the most painful separation of all.He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as he couldsee the carriage, that shone from afar like asunbeam. .

FIFTH STORY. The Little Robber Maiden

　　They drove through the dark wood; butthe carriage shone like a torch, and it dazzled the eyes of therobbers, so that they could not bear to look atit.
　　"'Tis gold! 'Tis gold!" they cried;and they rushed forward, seized the horses, knocked down the littlepostilion, the coachman, and the servants, and pulled little Gerdaout of the carriage.
　　"How plump, how beautiful she is! Shemust have been fed on nut-kernels," said the old female robber, whohad a long, scrubby beard, and bushy eyebrows that hung down overher eyes. "She is as good as a fatted lamb! How nice she will be!"And then she drew out a knife, the blade of which shone so that itwas quite dreadful to behold.
　　"Oh!" cried the woman at the samemoment. She had been bitten in the ear by her own little daughter,who hung at her back; and who was so wild and unmanageable, that itwas quite amusing to see her. "You naughty child!" said the mother:and now she had not time to kill Gerda.

　　"She shall play with me," said thelittle robber child. "She shall give me her muff, and her prettyfrock; she shall sleep in my bed!" And then she gave her motheranother bite, so that she jumped, and ran round with the pain; andthe Robbers laughed, and said, "Look, how she is dancing with thelittle one!""I will go into the carriage," said the little robbermaiden; and she would have her will, for she was very spoiled andvery headstrong. She and Gerda got in; and then away they droveover the stumps of felled trees, deeper and deeper into the woods.The little robber maiden was as tall as Gerda, but stronger,broader-shouldered, and of dark complexion; her eyes were quiteblack; they looked almost melancholy. She embraced little Gerda,and said," They shall not kill you as long as I am not displeasedwith you. You are, doubtless, a Princess?""No," said little Gerda;who then related all that had happened to her, and how much shecared about little Kay.
　　The little robber maiden looked ather with a serious air, nodded her heads lightly, and said, "Theyshall not kill you, even if I am angry withyou:
　　then I will do it myself"; and shedried Gerda's eyes, and put both her hands in the handsome muff,which was so soft and warm.
　　At length the carriage stopped. Theywere in the midst of the court-yard of a robber's castle. It wasfull of cracks from top to bottom; and out of the openings magpiesand rooks were flying; and the great bull-dogs, each of whichlooked as if he could swallow a man, jumped up, but they did notbark, for that was forbidden.
　　In the midst of the large, old,smoking hall burnt a great fire on the stone floor. The smokedisappeared under the stones, and had to seek its ownegress.
　　In an immense caldron soup wasboiling; and rabbits and hares were being roasted on aspit.

"You shall sleep with me to-night, with all my animals," said thelittle robber maiden. They had something to eat anddrink; and then went into a corner,where straw and carpets were lying. Beside them, on laths andperches, sat nearly a hundred pigeons, all asleep, seemingly; butyet they moved a little when the robber maiden came. "They are allmine," said she, at the same time seizing one that was next to herby the legs and shaking it so that its wings fluttered. "Kiss it,"cried the little girl, and flung the pigeon in Gerda's face. "Upthere is the rabble of the wood," continued she, pointing toseveral laths which were fastened before a hole high up in thewall; "that's the rabble; they would all fly away immediately, ifthey were not well fastened in. And here is my dear old Bac"; andshe laid hold of the horns of a reindeer, that had a bright copperring round its neck, and was tethered to the spot. "We are obligedto lock this fellow in too, or he would make his escape. Everyevening I tickle his neck with my sharp knife; he is so frightenedat it!" and the little girl drew forth a long knife, from a crackin the wall, and let it glide over the Reindeer's neck. The pooranimal kicked; the girl laughed, and pulled Gerda into bed withher.
　　"Do you intend to keep your knifewhile you sleep?" asked Gerda; looking at it ratherfearfully.
　　"I always sleep with the knife," saidthe little robber maiden. "There is no knowing what may happen. Buttell me now, once more, all about little Kay; and why you havestarted off in the wide world alone." And Gerda related all, fromthe very beginning: the Wood-pigeons cooed above in their cage, andthe others slept. The little robber maiden wound her arm roundGerda's neck, held the knife in the other hand, and snored so loudthat everybody could hear her; but Gerda could not close her eyes,for she did not know whether she was to live or die. The robberssat round the fire, sang and drank; and the old female robberjumped about so, that it was quite dreadful for Gerda to seeher.
　　Then the Wood-pigeons said, "Coo!Coo! We have seen little Kay! A white hen carries his sledge; hehimself sat in the carriage of the Snow Queen, who passed here,down just over the wood, as we lay in our nest. She blew upon usyoung ones; and all died except we two. Coo! Coo!""What is that yousay up there?" cried little Gerda. "Where did the Snow Queen go to?Do you know anything about it?""She is no doubt gone to Lapland;for there is always snow and ice there. Only ask the Reindeer, whois tethered there.""Ice and snow is there! There it is, gloriousand beautiful!" said the Reindeer. "One can spring about in thelarge shining valleys! The Snow Queen has her summer-tent there;but her fixed abode is high up towards the North Pole, on theIsland called Spitzbergen.""Oh, Kay! Poor little Kay!" sighedGerda.

　　"Do you choose to be quiet?" said therobber maiden. "If you don't, I shall make you."In the morningGerda told her all that the Wood-pigeons had said; and the littlemaiden looked very serious, but she nodded her head, and said,"That's no matter--that's no matter. Do you know where Laplandlies!" she asked of the Reindeer.
　　"Who should know better than I?" saidthe animal; and his eyes rolled in his head. "I was born and bredthere--there I leapt about on the fields of snow.""Listen," saidthe robber maiden to Gerda. "You see that the men are gone; but mymother is still here, and will remain. However, towards morning shetakes a draught out of the large flask, and then she sleeps alittle: then I will do something for you." She now jumped out ofbed, flew to her mother; with her arms round her neck, and pullingher by the beard, said, "Good morrow, my own sweet nanny-goat of amother." And her mother took hold of her nose, and pinched it tillit was red and blue; but this was all done out of purelove.
　　When the mother had taken a sup ather flask, and was having a nap, the little robber maiden went tothe Reindeer, and said, "I should very much like to give you stillmany a tickling with the sharp knife, for then you are so amusing;however, I will untether you, and help you out, so that you may goback to Lapland. But you must make good use of your legs; and takethis little girl for me to the palace of the Snow Queen, where herplayfellow is. You have heard, I suppose, all she said; for shespoke loud enough, and you were listening. "The Reindeer gave abound for joy. The robber maiden lifted up little Gerda, and tookthe precaution to bind her fast on the Reindeer's back; she evengave her a small cushion to sit on. "Here are your worsted leggins,for it will be cold; but the muff I shall keep for myself, for itis so very pretty. But I do not wish you to be cold. Here is a pairof lined gloves of my mother's; they just reach up to your elbow.On with them! Now you look about the hands just like my ugly oldmother!"And Gerda wept for joy.

　　"I can't bear to see you fretting,"said the little robber maiden. "This is just the time when youought to look pleased. Here are two loaves and a ham for you, sothat you won't starve." The bread and the meat were fastened to theReindeer's back; the little maiden opened the door, called in allthe dogs, and then with her knife cut the rope that fastened theanimal, and said to him, "Now, off with you; but take good care ofthe little girl!"And Gerda stretched out her hands with the largewadded gloves towards the robber maiden, and said, "Farewell!" andthe Reindeer flew on over bush and bramble through the great wood,over moor and heath, as fast as he couldgo.
　　"Ddsa! Ddsa!" was heard in the sky.It was just as if somebody was sneezing.
　　"These are my old northern-lights,"said the Reindeer, "look how they gleam!"And on he now sped stillquicker--day and night on he went: the loaves wereconsumed, and theham too; and now they were in Lapland..

SIXTH STORY. The LaplandWoman and the Finland Woman

　　Suddenly they stopped before a littlehouse, which looked very miserable. The roof reached to the ground;and the door was so low, that the family were obliged to creep upontheir stomachs when they went in or out. Nobody was at home exceptan old Lapland woman, who was dressing fish by the light of an oillamp. And the Reindeer told her the whole of Gerda's history, butfirst of all his own; for that seemed to him of much greaterimportance. Gerda was so chilled that she could notspeak.

　　"Poor thing," said the Lapland woman,"you have far to run still. You have more than a hundred miles togo before you get to Finland; there the Snow Queen has hercountry-house, and burns blue lights every evening. I will give youa few words from me, which I will write on a dried haberdine, forpaper I have none; this you can take with you to the Finland woman,and she will be able to give you more information than I can."WhenGerda had warmed herself, and had eaten and drunk, the Laplandwoman wrote a few words on a dried haberdine, begged Gerda to takecare of them, put her on the Reindeer, bound her fast, and awaysprang the animal. "Ddsa! Ddsa!"was again heard in the air; themost charming blue lights burned the whole night in the sky, and atlast they came to Finland. They knocked at the chimney of theFinland woman; for as to a door, she hadnone.
　　There was such a heat inside that theFinland woman herself went about almost naked. She was diminutiveand dirty. She immediately loosened little Gerda's clothes, pulledoff her thick gloves and boots; for otherwise the heat would havebeen too great--and after laying a piece of ice on the Reindeer'shead, read what was written on the fish-skin. She read it threetimes: she then knew it by heart; so she put the fish into thecupboard--for it might very well be eaten, and she never threwanything away.
　　Then the Reindeer related his ownstory first, and afterwards that of little Gerda; and the Finlandwoman winked her eyes, but said nothing.
　　"You are so clever," said theReindeer; "you can, I know, twist all the winds of the worldtogether in a knot. If the seaman loosens one knot, then he has agood wind; if a second, then it blows pretty stiffly; if he undoesthe third and fourth, then it rages so that the forests areupturned. Will you give the little maiden a potion, that she maypossess the strength of twelve men, and vanquish the SnowQueen?""The strength of twelve men!" said the Finland woman. "Muchgood that would be!" Then she went to a cupboard, and drew out alarge skin rolled up. When she had unrolled it, strange characterswere to be seen written thereon; and the Finland woman read at sucha rate that the perspiration trickled down herforehead.
　　But the Reindeer begged so hard forlittle Gerda, and Gerda looked so imploringly with tearful eyes atthe Finland woman, that she winked, and drew the Reindeer asideinto a corner, where they whispered together, while the animal gotsome fresh ice put on his head.
　　"'Tis true little Kay is at the SnowQueen's, and finds everything there quite to his taste; and hethinks it the very best place in the world; but the reason of thatis, he has a splinter of glass in his eye, and in hisheart.
　　These must be got out first;otherwise he will never go back to mankind, and the Snow Queen willretain her power over him.""But can you give little Gerda nothingto take which will endue her with power over thewhole?""I can give her no more power thanwhat she has already. Don't you see how great it is? Don't you seehow men and animals are forced to serve her; how well she getsthrough th e world barefooted? She must not hear of her power fromus; that power lies in her heart, because she is a sweet andinnocent child! If she cannot get to the Snow Queen by herself, andrid little Kay of the glass, we cannot help her. Two mileshence the garden of the Snow Queen begins; thither you may carrythe little girl. Set her down by the large bush with red berries,standing in the snow; don't stay talking, but hasten back as fastas possible." And now the Finland woman placed little Gerda on theReindeer's back, and off he ran with all imaginablespeed.

　　"Oh! I have not got my boots! I havenot brought my gloves!" cried little Gerda. She remarked she waswithout them from the cutting frost; but the Reindeer dared notstand still; on he ran till he came to the great bush with the redberries, and there he set Gerda down, kissed her mouth, while largebright tears flowed from the animal's eyes, and then back he wentas fast as possible. There stood poor Gerda now, without shoes orgloves, in the very middle of dreadful icyFinland.
　　She ran on as fast as she could.There then came a whole regiment of snow-flakes, but they did notfall from above, and they were quite bright and shining from theAurora Borealis. The flakes ran along the ground, and the nearerthey came the larger they grew. Gerda well remembered how large andstrange the snow-flakes appeared when she once saw them through amagnifying-glass; but now they were large and terrific in anothermanner--they were all alive. They were the outposts of the SnowQueen. They had the most wondrous shapes; some looked like largeugly porcupines; others like snakes knotted together, with theirheads sticking out; and others, again, like small fat bears, withthe hair standing on end: all were of dazzling whiteness--all wereliving snow-flakes.

Little Gerda repeated the Lord'sPrayer. The cold was so intense that she could see her own breath,which came like smoke out of her mouth. It grew thicker andthicker, and took the form of little angels, that grew more andmore when they touched the earth. All had helms on their heads, andlances and shields in their hands; they increased in numbers; andwhen Gerda had finished the Lord's Prayer, she was surrounded by awhole legion. They thrust at the horrid snow-flakes with theirspears, so that they flew into a thousand pieces; and little Gerdawalked on bravely and in security. The angels patted her hands andfeet; and then she felt the cold less, and went on quickly towardsthe palace of the Snow Queen.
　　But now we shall see how Kay fared.He never thought of Gerda, and least ofall that she was standingbefore the palace.
　　

SEVENTH STORY. What TookPlace in the Palace of the Snow Queen, and what HappenedAfterward

The walls of the palace were of driving snow, and the windows anddoors of cutting winds. There were more than a hundred halls there,according as the snow was driven by the winds. The largest was manymiles in extent; all were lighted up by the powerful AuroraBorealis, and all were so large, so empty, so icy cold, and soresplendent! Mirth never reigned there; there was never even alittle bear-ball, with the storm for music, while the polar bearswent on their hind legs and showed off their steps. Never a littletea-party of white young lady foxes; vast, cold, and empty were thehalls of the Snow Queen. The northern-lights shone with suchprecision that one could tell exactly when they were at theirhighest or lowest degree of brightness. In the middle of the empty,endless hall of snow, was a frozen lake; it was cracked in athousand pieces, but each piece was so like the other, that itseemed the work of a cunning artificer. In the middle of this lakesat the Snow Queen when she was at home; and then she said she wassitting in the Mirror of Understanding, and that this was the onlyone and the best thing in the world.

Little Kay was quite blue, yes nearly black with cold; but he didnot observe it, for she had kissed away all feeling of cold fromhis body, and his heart was a lump of ice. He was dragging alongsome pointed flat pieces of ice, which he laid together in allpossible ways, for he wanted to make something with them; just aswe have little flat pieces of wood to make geometrical figureswith, called the Chinese Puzzle. Kay made all sorts of figures, themost complicated, for it was an ice-puzzle for the understanding.In his eyes the figures were extraordinarily beautiful, and of theutmost importance; for the bit of glass which was in his eye causedthis. He found whole figures which represented a written word; buthe never could manage to represent just the word he wanted--thatword was "eternity"; and the Snow Queen had said, "If you candiscover that figure, you shall be your own master, and I will makeyou a present of the whole world and a pair of new skates." But hecould not find it out.

　　"I am going now to warm lands," said the Snow Queen. "I must have alook down into the black caldrons." It was the volcanoes Vesuviusand 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 orangesand the grapes." And then away she flew, and Kay sat quite alone inthe empty halls of ice that were miles long, and looked at theblocks of ice, and thought and thought till his skull was almostcracked. There he sat quite benumbed and motionless; one would haveimagined he was frozen to death.

　　Suddenly little Gerda stepped throughthe great portal into the palace. The gate was formed of cuttingwinds; but Gerda repeated her evening prayer, and the winds werelaid as though they slept; and the little maiden entered the vast,empty, cold halls. There she beheld Kay: she recognised him, flewto embrace him, and cried out, her arms firmly holding him thewhile, "Kay, sweet little Kay! Have I then found you at last?"Buthe sat quite still, benumbed and cold. Then little Gerda shedburning tears; and they fell on his bosom, they penetrated to hisheart, they thawed the lumps of ice, and consumed the splinters ofthe looking-glass; he looked at her, and she sang thehymn:
　　"The rose in the valley is bloomingso sweet, And angels descend there the children to greet."HereuponKay burst into tears; he wept so much that the splinter rolled outof his eye, and he recognised her, and shouted, "Gerda, sweetlittle 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 andcold!" And he held fast by Gerda, who laughed and wept for joy. Itwas so beautiful, that even the blocks of ice danced about for joy;and when they were tired and laid themselves down, they formedexactly 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 anda pair of new skates into the bargain.

　　Gerda kissed his cheeks, and theygrew quite blooming; she kissed his eyes, and they shone like herown; she kissed his hands and feet, and he was again well andmerry. The Snow Queen might come back as soon as she liked; therestood his discharge written in resplendent masses ofice.
　　They took each other by the hand, andwandered forth out of the large hall; they talked of their oldgrandmother, and of the roses upon the roof; and wherever theywent, the winds ceased raging, and the sun burst forth. And whenthey reached the bush with the red berries, they found the Reindeerwaiting 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 andGerda--first to the Finland woman, where they warmed themselves inthe warm room, and learned what they were to do on their journeyhome; and they went to the Lapland woman, who made some new clothesfor them and repaired their sledges.
　　The Reindeer and the young hindleaped along beside them, and accompanied them to the boundary ofthe country. Here the first vegetation peeped forth; here Kay andGerda took leave of the Lapland woman. "Farewell! Farewell!" theyall said. And the first green buds appeared, the first little birdsbegan to chirrup; and out of the wood came, riding on a magnificenthorse, which Gerda knew (it was one of the leaders in the goldencarriage), a young damsel with a bright-red cap on her head, andarmed with pistols. It was the little robber maiden, who, tired ofbeing at home, had determined to make a journey to the north; andafterwards in another direction, if that did not please her. Sherecognised Gerda immediately, and Gerda knew her too. It was ajoyful meeting.

　　"You are a fine fellow for trampingabout," said she to little Kay; "I should like to know, faith, ifyou deserve that one should run from one end of the world to theother for your sake?"But Gerda patted her cheeks, and inquired forthe Prince and Princess.
　　"They are gone abroad," said theother.
　　"But the Raven?" asked littleGerda.
　　"Oh! The Raven is dead," sheanswered. "His tame sweetheart is a widow, and wears a bit of blackworsted round her leg; she laments most piteously, but it's allmere talk and stuff! Now tell me what you've been doing and how youmanaged to catch him."And Gerda and Kay both told theirstory.
　　And"Schnipp-schnapp-schnurre-basselurre," said the robber maiden; andshe took the hands of each, and promised that if she should someday pass through the town where they lived, she would come andvisit them; and then away she rode. Kay and Gerda took each other'shand: it was lovely spring weather, with abundance of flowers andof verdure. The church-bells rang, and the children recognised thehigh towers, and the large town; it was that in which they dwelt.They entered and hastened up to their grandmother's room, whereeverything was standing as formerly. The clock said "tick! tack!"and the finger moved round; but as they entered, they remarked thatthey were now grown up. The roses on the leads hung blooming in atthe open window; there stood the little children's chairs, and Kayand Gerda sat down on them, holding each other by the hand; theyboth had forgotten the cold empty splendor of the Snow Queen, asthough it had been a dream. The grandmother satin the brightsunshine, and read aloud from the Bible: "Unless ye become as little children, ye cannot enter thekingdom of heaven."And Kay and Gerda looked in each other'seyes, and all at once they understood the oldhymn:
　　"The rose in the valley is bloomingso sweet, And angels descend there the children to greet."There satthe two grown-up persons; grown-up, and yet children; children atleast in heart; and it was summer-time; summer, glorioussummer!

译文：

白雪公主

第一个故事：关于一面镜子和它的碎片

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。

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。

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。

“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。

“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(丹麦的长度名，等于0。627米。)远了。它漂得比以前更快。

小小的格尔达非常害怕，开始大哭起来。可是除了麻雀以外，谁也听不见她；而麻雀并不能把她送回到陆地上来。不过它们沿着河岸飞，唱着歌，好像是要安慰她似的：“我们在这儿呀！我们在这儿呀！”这船顺流而下。小小的格尔达脚上只穿着袜子，坐着不动。她的一双小红鞋在她后面浮着。但是它们漂不到船边来，因为船走得很快。

两岸是非常美丽的。岸上有美丽的花儿和古树，有放着牛羊的山坡，可是却没有一个人。

“可能这条河会把我送到小加伊那儿去吧。”格尔达想。

这样她的心情就好转了一点。她站起来，把两边美丽的绿色的河岸看了好久。不久她就来到了一个很大的樱桃园。这里面有一座小小的房子，它有一些奇怪的蓝窗子和红窗子，还有茅草扎的屋顶，外面还站着两个木头兵：他们向所有乘船路过的人敬礼。

格尔达喊他们，因为她以为他们是真正的兵士。他们当然是不会回答的。她来到了他们的近旁，河已经把船漂到岸边了。

格尔达更大声地喊起来。这时有一个很老很老的女人拄着拐杖走出来了：她戴着一顶大草帽，上面绘着许多美丽的花朵。

“你这个可怜的小宝贝！”老女人说，“你怎么会在这个浪涛滚滚的河上，漂到这么远的地方来呢？”

于是这老太婆就走下水来，用拐杖把船钩住，把它拖到岸旁，把小小的格尔达抱下来。

格尔达很高兴，现在又回到陆地上来了，不过她有点害怕这位陌生的老太婆。

“来吧，告诉我你是谁？你怎样到这儿来的吧。”她说，格尔达把什么都告诉她了。老太婆摇摇头，说：“哼！哼！”当格尔达把一切讲完了，问她有没有看到过小加伊的时候，老太婆就说他还没有来过，不过他一定会来的，格尔达不要太伤心，她可以尝尝樱桃，看看花儿，它们比任何画册上画的都好，因为它们个个都能讲一个故事。于是她牵着格尔达的手，把她带到小屋子里去，把门锁起来。

窗子开得很高；玻璃都涂上了红色、蓝色和黄色。日光很奇妙地射进来，照出许多不同的颜色。桌上放着许多最好吃的樱桃。格尔达尽量地大吃一通，因为她可以多吃一点，没有关系。当她正在吃的时候，老太婆就用一把金梳子替她梳头发。她的头发髦成了长串的、美丽的黄圈圈，在她和善的小面孔上悬下来，像盛开的玫瑰花。

“我老早就希望有一个像你这样可爱的小女孩，”老太婆说，“现在你看吧，我们两人会怎样在一起幸福地生活！”

当老太婆梳着她的头发的时候，她就渐渐忘记了她的玩伴加伊，因为这个老太婆会使魔术，不过她不是一个恶毒的巫婆罢了。她只是为了自己的消遣而耍一点小幻术，同时她想把小小的格尔达留下来。因此她现在走到花园里去，用她的拐杖指着所有的玫瑰花。虽然这些花开得很美丽，但是不一会儿就都沉到黑地底下去了：谁也说不出，它们原来究竟是在什么地方。老太婆很害怕：假如格尔达看见了玫瑰花，她就会想起自己的花，因此也就记起小小的加伊，结果必定会跑走。

她现在把格尔达领到花园里去。嗨！这里面是多么香，多么美啊！这里盛开着人们能够想象得到的花儿和每季的花儿：任何画册也没有这样多彩，这样美丽。格尔达快乐得跳起来。她一直玩到太阳在高高的樱桃树后面落下去为止。于是她到一个美丽的床上去睡；鸭绒被是红绸子做的，里面还有蓝色的紫罗兰。她在这儿睡着了，做了一些奇异的梦，像一个皇后在新婚的那天一样。

第二天她又可以在温暖的太阳光中和花儿一起玩耍——这样过了好几天，格尔达认识了每一种花。花的种类虽然多，她似乎还觉得缺少一种，不过究竟是哪一种，她可不知道。有一天她坐着呆呆地看老太婆草帽上绘着的花儿：它们之中最美丽的一种是一朵玫瑰花。当老太婆把所有玫瑰花藏到地底下去的时候，她忘记把帽子上的这朵去掉。不过一个人如果不留神，结果总会是这样。

“怎么，这儿没有玫瑰花吗？”格尔达说。

于是她跳到花畦中间去，找了又找，但是她一朵也找不到。这时她就坐在地上哭起来：她的热泪恰恰落到一棵玫瑰花沉下去的地方。当热泪把土润湿了以后，这棵玫瑰就立刻冒出来，开着茂盛的花，正如它坠入土里时那样。格尔达拥抱着它，吻了玫瑰花朵，于是她便想起了家里的那些美丽的玫瑰花，同时也想起了小小的加伊。

“啊，我耽误了多少时间啊！”小姑娘说。“我要去找小小的加伊！你们知道他在什么地方吗？”她问那些玫瑰花。“你们知道他死了没有？”

“他没有死！”玫瑰花朵说。“我们曾经在地里呆了一个时候，所有的死人都在那里。不过加伊并不在那里！”

“谢谢你们！”小小的格尔达说。于是她走到别的花朵面前去，朝它们的花萼里面看，并且问：“你们知道小小的加伊在什么地方吗！”

不过每朵花都在晒太阳，梦着自己的故事或童话。这些故事或童话格尔达听了许多许多，但是没有哪朵花知道关于加伊的任何消息。

卷丹花讲了些什么呢？

你听到过鼓声“冬——冬”吗？它老是只有两个音调：冬——冬！请听妇女们的哀歌吧！请听祭司们的呼唤吧！印度的寡妇穿着红长袍，立在火葬堆上。火焰朝她和她死去了的丈夫身体燎上来。不过这个印度寡妇在想着站在她周围的那群人中的一位活着的人：这个人的眼睛烧得比火焰还要灼热，他眼睛里的火穿进她的心，比这快要把她的身体烧成灰烬的火焰还要灼热。心中的火焰会在火葬堆上的火焰里死去吗？

“这个我完全不懂！”小小的格尔达说。

“这就是我要讲的童话。”卷丹花说。

牵牛花讲了些什么呢？

在一条狭窄的山路上隐隐出现一幢古老的城堡。它古老的红墙上生满了密密的常春藤。叶子一片接着一片地向阳台上爬。阳台上站着一位美丽的姑娘。她在栏杆上弯下腰来，向路上看了一眼。任何玫瑰花枝上的花朵都没有她那样鲜艳。任何在风中吹着的苹果花都没有她那样轻盈。她美丽的绸衣服发出清脆的沙沙声！

“他还没有来吗？”

“你的意思是指加伊吗？”小小的格尔达问。

“我只是讲我的童话——我的梦呀！”牵牛花回答说。

雪球花讲了些什么呢？

有一块长木板吊在树间的绳子上。这是一个秋千。两个漂亮的小姑娘，穿着雪一样白的衣服，戴着飘有长条绿丝带的帽子，正坐在这上面打秋千。她们的哥哥站在秋千上，用手臂挽着绳子来稳住自己，因为他一只手托着一个小碟子，另一只手拿着一根泥烟嘴。他在吹肥皂泡。秋千飞起来了，五光十色的美丽的肥皂泡也飞起来了。最后的一个肥皂泡还挂在烟嘴上，在风中摇摆。秋千在飞着；一只像肥皂泡一样轻的小黑狗用后腿站起来，也想爬到秋千上面来。秋千继续在飞，小狗滚下来，叫着，生着气。大家都笑它，肥皂泡也就破裂了。一块飞舞的秋千板和一个破裂的泡沫——这就是我的歌！

“你所讲的这个故事可能是很动听的，不过你讲得那么凄惨，而且你没有提到小小的加伊。”

风信子讲了些什么呢？

从前有三个美丽的、透明的、娇滴滴的姊妹。第一位穿着红衣服，第二位穿着蓝衣服，第三位穿着白衣服。她们在明朗的月光中，手挽着手在一个静寂的湖边跳舞。她们并不是山妖。她们是人间的女儿。空气中充满了甜蜜的香气！这几位姑娘在树林里消逝了。于是香气变得更浓厚。三口棺材——里面躺着这三位美丽的姑娘——从树丛中飘到湖上来。萤火虫在它们上面飞，像些小小的飞灯一样。这些跳舞的姑娘们在睡觉呢，还是死去了。花的香气说她们死了，同时暮钟也在发出哀悼的声音！

“你们使我感到怪难过的，”小小的格尔达说，“你们发出这样强烈的香气，我不禁要想起那几位死去了的姑娘。嗨，小小的加伊真的死了吗？玫瑰花曾经到地底下去看过，它们说没有。”

“叮！当！”风信子的铃敲起来了。“我们不是为小小的加伊而敲——我们不认识他！我们只是唱着我们的歌——我们所知道的唯一的歌。”

格尔达走到金凤花那儿去。这花在闪光的绿叶中微笑。

“你是一轮光耀的小太阳，”格尔达说。“请告诉我，假如你知道的话，我在什么地方可以找到我的玩伴？”

金凤花放射出美丽的光彩，又把格尔达望了一眼。金凤花会唱出一支什么歌呢？这歌跟加伊没有什么关系。

在一个小院落里，我们上帝的太阳在春天的第一天暖洋洋地照着。它的光线在邻人屋子的白墙上滑行着。在这近旁，第一朵黄花开出来了，在温暖的阳光里像金子一样发亮。老祖母坐在门外的椅子上，她的孙女——一个很美丽的可怜的小姑娘——正回到家里来作短时间的拜望。她吻着祖母。这个幸福的吻里藏有金子，心里的金子。嘴唇是金子，全身是金子，这个早晨的时刻也是金子。这个呀！这就是我的故事！

金凤花说。

“我可怜的老祖母！”格尔达叹了一口气说。“是的，她一定在想念着我，在为我担心，正如她在为小小的加伊担心一样。不过我马上就要回家去了，带着加伊一道回家去。探问这些花儿一点用处也没有。它们只知道唱自己的歌，一点消息也不能告诉我！”于是她把她的小罩衫扎起来，为的是可以跑得快一点。可是当她在水仙花上跳过去的时候，花绊住了她的腿。她停下来瞧瞧这棵长长的花，问道：“也许你知道一点消息吧？”

于是她向这花儿弯下腰来。这花儿讲了些什么呢？

我能看见我自己！我能看见我自己！我的天！我的天！我是多么香啊！在那个小小的顶楼里面立着一位半裸着的小小舞蹈家：她一会儿用一条腿站着，一会儿用两条腿站着。她的脚跟在整个世界上跳。她不过是一个幻象罢了。她把水从一个茶壶里倒到她的一块布上——这是她的紧身上衣——爱清洁是一个好习惯！她的白袍子挂在一个钉子上。它也是在茶壶里洗过、在屋顶上晒干的：她穿上这衣服，同时在颈项上围一条橙子色的头巾，把这衣服衬得更白了。她的腿跷起来了。你看她用一条腿站着的那副神气。我能看见我自己！我能看见我自己！

“这一点也不使我感兴趣！”格尔达说。“这对我一点意义也没有！”于是她跑到花园的尽头去。门是锁上了。不过她把那生了锈的锁扭了一下，这锁便松了，门也自动开了。于是小小的格尔达打着一双赤脚跑到外面来。她回头看了三次，没有任何人在追她。最后她跑不动了，便在一块大石头上坐下来。当她向周围一看的时候，夏天已经过去了——已是晚秋时节。在那个美丽的花园里，人们注意不到这件事情——那儿永远有太阳光，永远有四季的花。

“咳！我耽误了多少光阴啊！”小小的格尔达说。“这已是秋天了！我不能再休息了！”于是她立起身来继续向前走。哦！她的一双小脚是多么酸痛和疲累啊！周围是一片寒冷和阴郁的景色。柳树的叶子已经黄了，雾在它们上面变成水滴下来。叶子在簌簌地往下掉。只有山楂结着果实，酸得使牙齿都要脱落。啊！这个茫茫的世界，是多么灰色和凄凉啊！

第四个故事：王子和公主

格尔达又不得不休息一下。在她坐着的那块地方的对面，一只大乌鸦在雪地上跳过去了。乌鸦已经坐了很久，呆望着她，转动着头。现在它说：“呱！呱！日安！日安！”这是它能够发出的唯一的声音，对于这个小姑娘它是怀有好感的。它问她单独在这个茫茫的大世界里想要到什么地方去。格尔达深深地体会到“单独”这个字的意义。她把她的全部生活和遭遇都告诉了乌鸦，同时问它有没有看到过加伊。

乌鸦若有所思地点点头，同时说：

“可能看到过！可能看到过！”

“怎么，你真的看到过吗？”小姑娘叫起来，几乎把乌鸦搂得闷死了——她是这样热烈地吻它。

“轻一点！轻一点！”乌鸦说。“我相信那可能就是小小的加伊！不过他因为那位公主就把你忘掉了！”

“他是跟一位公主住在一起吗？”格尔达问。

“是的，请听吧！”乌鸦说，“不过要讲你的那种语言，对于我是太难了。如果你能听懂乌鸦的语言，那么我可以讲得更清楚了！”

“不成，我没有学过！”格尔达说，“不过我的祖母懂得，也能够讲这种语言。我只希望我也学过。”

“这倒没有什么关系！”乌鸦说，“我尽量把话讲得清楚好了，但是可能越讲越糊涂。”

于是乌鸦把它所知道的事情都讲了出来。

“在我们现在所在的这个王国里，有一位非常聪明的公主。她读过世界上所有的报纸，然后又把它们忘得精光，因为她是那么聪明。最近她坐上了王位——据说这并不怎么有趣——这时她哼出一支歌，而这歌只有这么一句：‘为什么我现在不结婚呢？’她说：‘是的，这句话里有道理。’因此她很想结婚。不过她所希望的丈夫是：当人们和他讲话时，他必须能答话，不仅是站在那儿，只是好看而已——因为这是怪讨厌的。于是她把侍女都召进来：当她们知道了她的用意的时候，她们都非常高兴。‘好极了！’她们说：‘前不久我们也有这个意见。’请你相信，我对你讲的每一个字都是真的！”乌鸦说。“我有一位很驯服的爱人，她可以在宫里自由来往，因此她把所有的事情都告诉我了。”

当然所谓“爱人”也无非是一个乌鸦，因为乌鸦只会找类似的东西——那永远是一个乌鸦。

“所有的报纸立即出版，报纸的边上印着鸡心和公主的名字的头一个字母，作为装饰。人们可以读到：每个漂亮的年轻人可以自由到宫里来和公主谈话，而谈话的人如果能叫人觉得他是毫无拘束、对答如流的话，公主就要选他为丈夫！是的，是的！”乌鸦说，“请你相信我。我的话实实在在，没有半句虚假。年轻人成群结队地到来。当他们来到街上的时候，什么话都会讲；不过他们一起进宫殿的门、看到穿银色制服的门警、看到台阶上站着穿金色制服的仆人和光耀夺目的大厅的时候，他们什么话也说不出来，只能重复地念着公主所说出的话的最后一个字——而她并不要再听自己的话。好像这些人的肚皮里都塞满了鼻烟、已经昏睡过去了似的。只有当他们回到街上来了以后，才能讲话。这些人从城门那儿一直站到宫门口，排成了一长队。我自己曾经去亲眼看过一次！”乌鸦说。“他们变得又饥又渴，不过到了宫殿里，他们连一杯温水也得不到。最聪明的几个人随身带了一点抹了黄油的面包，不过他们并不分给旁边的人吃，因为他们觉得，‘还是让这家伙现出一个饿鬼的样子吧，公主不会要他的！’”

“可是加伊，小小的加伊呢？”格尔达问，“他什么时候来呢？他会不会在他们中间呢？”

“等着！等着！我们马上就要谈到他了！到了第三天才有一位小小的人物到来。他没有骑马，也没有乘车子。他高高兴兴地大步走进宫里来。他的眼睛像你的一样，射出光彩。他的头发是又长又细，不过他的衣服是很寒碜的！”

“那正是加伊！”格尔达高兴地说，“哦，我总算是找到他了！”于是她拍起手来。

“他的背上背着一个小行囊！”乌鸦说。

“不，那一定是他的雪橇了！”格尔达说，“因为他是带着雪橇去的。”

“也可能是！”乌鸦说，“因为我没有仔细去瞧它！不过我听我那位驯服的爱人说起，当他走进宫殿的门、看到穿银色制服的守卫和台阶上穿金色制服的仆人的时候，他一点也不感到慌张。他点点头，对他们说：‘站在这些台阶上一定是一件很腻烦的工作——我倒是宁愿走进去的！’大厅的烛光照耀得如同白昼。枢密顾问官和大臣们托着金盘子，打着赤脚走来走去。这叫人起一种庄严的感觉！他的靴子发出吱格吱格的响声，但是他却一点也不害怕！”

“这一定就是加伊！”格尔达说。“我知道他穿着一双新靴子；我亲耳听到它们在祖母的房间里发出吱格吱格的响声。”

“是的，它们的确发出响声！”乌鸦说，“他勇敢地一直走到公主面前，她是坐在纺车那么大的一颗珍珠上的。所有的侍女和她们的丫环以及丫环的丫环，所有的侍臣和他们的仆人以及仆人的仆人——每人还有一个小厮——都在四周站着。他们站得离门口越近，就越显出一副了不起的神气！这些仆人的仆人的小厮——他老是穿着制服——几乎叫人不敢看他，因为他站在门口的样子非常骄傲！”

“这一定可怕得很！”小小的格尔达说，“但是加伊得到了公主吗？”

“假如我不是一个乌鸦的话，我也可以得到她的，虽然我已经订过婚。他像我讲乌鸦话时一样会讲话——这是我从我驯服的爱人那儿听来的。他既勇敢，又能讨人喜欢。他并不是来向公主求婚，而是专来听听公主的智慧的，他看中了她；她也看中了他。”

“是的，那一定就是加伊！”格尔达说。“他是那么聪明，他可以算心算，一直算到分数。哦！你能带我到宫里去一趟吗？”

“这事说来容易！”乌鸦说。“不过我们怎样实行呢？让我先跟我那个驯服的爱人商量一下吧。她可能给我们一点忠告。我要告诉你一点——像你这样小的女孩子，一般是不会得到许可走进里面去的。”

“会的，我得到许可的！”格尔达说。“当加伊知道我来了的时候，他马上就会走出来，请我进去的。”

“请在门栏那儿等着我吧。”乌鸦说，于是它扭了扭头就飞去了。

当乌鸦回来的时候，天已经黑了很久。

“呱！呱！”它说，“我代表我的爱人向你问候。这是我带给你的一小片面包。这是她从厨房里拿出来的。那儿面包多的是。你现在一定很饿了！……你想到宫里去是不可能的，因为你是打着赤脚的。那些穿着银色制服的警卫和穿着金色制服的仆人们不会让你进去的。不过请你不要哭；你还是可以进去的。我的爱人知道通到睡房的一个小后楼梯，同时她也知道可以在什么地方弄到钥匙！”

于是他们走到花园里去，在一条宽阔的林荫路上走。这儿树叶在簌簌地落下来。当宫殿里的灯光一个接着一个地熄灭了以后，乌鸦就把小小的格尔达带到后门那儿去。这门是半掩着的。

咳！格尔达又怕又急的心跳得多么厉害啊！她仿佛觉得她在做一件坏事似的；然而她所希望知道的只不过是小小的加伊而已。是的，那一定是他。她在生动地回忆着他那对聪明的眼睛和长长的头发。她可以想象得到他在怎样微笑——他在家里坐在玫瑰花树下时的那种微笑。他一定很高兴看到她的；听到她走了那么多的路程来找他；听到家里的人为他的离去而感到多么难过。啊，这既使人害怕，又使人高兴。

他们现在上了楼梯。食橱上点着一盏小灯；在屋子的中央，立着那只驯服的乌鸦。它把头掉向四周，望着格尔达。她依照她祖母教给她的那个样子，行了屈膝礼。

“我的小姑娘，我的未婚夫把你讲得非常好，”驯服的乌鸦说，“你的身世——我们可以这么讲——是非常感动人的！请你把灯拿起来好吗？我可以在你前面带路。我们可以一直向前走，因为我们不会碰到任何人的。”

“我觉得好像有人在后面跟着我似的。”格尔达说，因为有件什么东西在她身边滑过去了；它好像是墙上的影子，瘦腿的、飞跃的红鬃马，年轻的猎人和骑在马上的绅士和太太们。

“这些事物不过是一个梦罢了！”乌鸦说。“它们到来，为的是要把这些贵人的思想带出去游猎一番。这是一件很好的事情，因为这样你就可以在他们睡觉的时候多看他们一会儿。可是我希望，当你将来得到荣华富贵的时候，请你不要忘了我！”

“这当然不成问题！”树林里的那只乌鸦说。

他们现在走进第一个大厅。墙上挂着许多绣着花的粉红色的缎子。在这儿，梦在他们身边跑过去了，但是跑得那么快，格尔达来不及察看这些要人。第二个大厅总比第一个大厅漂亮。是的，一个人会看得脑袋发昏！最后他们来到了卧室。在这儿，天花板就像生有玻璃——很贵重的玻璃——叶子的棕榈树冠。在屋子的中央有两张睡床悬在一根粗大的金杆子上，而且每一张床像一朵百合花。一张的颜色是白的，这里面睡着公主；另一张是红的，格尔达希望在这里面找到小小的加伊。她把一片红花瓣分开，于是她就看到一个棕色的脖子。哦，这就是加伊！她大声地喊出他的名字，同时把灯拿到他面前来。梦又骑在马上冲进房间里来了，他醒转来，掉过头，然而——他却不是小小的加伊！

这位王子只是脖子跟他的相似。不过他是年轻和美貌的。公主从百合花的床上向外窥看，同时问谁在这儿。小小的格尔达哭起来，把全部故事和乌鸦给她的帮助都告诉了她。

“可怜的孩子！”王子和公主说。

他们称赞了乌鸦一番，同时说他们并不生它们的气，不过它们可不能常做这类的事儿。虽然如此，它们仍然应该得到一件奖赏。

“你们愿意自由地飞出去呢，”公主问，“还是愿意作为宫里的乌鸦而获得一个固定的位置、享受能吃厨房里剩饭的权利呢？”

两只乌鸦鞠了一躬，要求有一个固定的位置，因为它们想到它们的老年。它们说：“老了的时候能够得到一些供给总是一件好事，正如俗语所说的一样。”

王子爬下床来，让格尔达睡在他的床上——他只能够做到这一点。她的小手十指交叉着，想道：“人和动物是多么善良的东西啊！”于是她闭起眼睛，幸福地睡着了。所有的梦又飞进来了；这一次它们是像安琪儿一样。它们拖着一个小雪橇，加伊坐在上面点着头。这一切只不过是个梦罢了。她一醒来，这些梦就不见了。

第二天她全身穿上了丝绸和天鹅绒的衣服。有人向她提议，请她在宫里住下来，享受快乐的时光。不过她只要求得到一辆马拉的小车，和一双小靴子。这样她就可以又开到外面去，去寻找加伊。

她不仅得到一双靴子，还得到一个暖手筒，并且穿着一身干净整齐的衣服。当她要离去的时候，一辆纯金做成的车子就停在门外等她。王子和公主的徽记在那上面亮得像一颗明星。车夫、侍者和骑手——因为还有骑手——都穿着绣有金王冠的衣服。王子和公主亲自扶她上车，同时祝她一路平安。那只树林里的乌鸦——它现在已经结了婚——陪送她走了开头三丹麦里(一丹麦里大约等于我国计算单位的十五里)的路程。它坐在格尔达的身旁，因为叫它背对着马坐着，它可受不了。另外那只乌鸦站在门口，拍着翅膀。她不能跟他们同行，因为她有点头痛，而这头痛是因为她获得了那个固定职位后吃得太多了才有的。车子四壁填满了甜饼干，座位里垫满了姜汁饼干和水果。

“再会吧！再会吧！”王子和公主喊着，小小的格尔达哭起来，乌鸦也哭起来。他们这样一起走了开头几丹麦里路，于是乌鸦也说了声再会——这要算最难过的一次别离。乌鸦飞到一棵树上，拍着黑翅膀，一直到它看不见马车为止——这车子闪耀得像明亮的太阳。

第五个故事：小强盗女孩

他们坐着车子走过浓密的树林。不过车子光耀得像一个火把，把一些强盗的眼睛都弄得昏眩起来，他们再也忍耐不住了。

“那是金子！那是金子！”他们大声说。他们冲上前来，拦住那些马匹，打死那些骑手、车夫和仆人，最后把格尔达从车上拖下来。

“她长得很胖……她长得很美……她是吃胡桃核长大的！”老女强盗说。她的胡子长得又长又硬，她的蓬松的眉毛把眼睛都盖住了。

“她像一个肥胖的小羔羊！哪，好吃得很！”

于是她抽出一把明晃晃的刀子——刀子闪耀得怕人。

“哎哟！”老女人同时大叫了一声，因为她的亲生女儿爬在她的背上，把她的耳朵咬了一口；她是一个顽皮和野蛮的孩子，喜欢寻这种开心。“你这个捣蛋的孩子！”妈妈说，这样她就没有时间来杀掉格尔达了。

“我要她跟我一道玩耍！”小强盗女孩说。“她得把她的暖手筒和美丽的衣服给我，和我在床上一道睡！”

于是这孩子又咬了她一口，弄得老女强盗又跳起来，打着旋转；别的强盗都笑起来，同时说：

“瞧，她和她的小鬼跳得多好！”

“我要坐进那个车子里去！”小强盗女孩说。

她要怎样就怎样，因为她是一个很放肆和固执的孩子。她和格尔达坐在车子里，在树桩和荆棘上面驰过去，一直跑到森林里。小强盗女孩和格尔达是同样岁数，不过她的身体更强壮，肩膀更宽。她的皮肤是棕色的，眼睛很黑，几乎显出阴郁的样子。她把小小的格尔达拦腰抱住，说：

“只要我不生你的气，他们就不能杀你。我想你是一位公主吧？”

“不是。”小小的格尔达说。于是她把自己所遭遇到的事情，和她怎样喜欢小小的加伊，都对她讲了。

小强盗女孩严肃地看了她一眼，轻轻地点了点头，同时说：

“就是我生了你的气，他们也不能杀你，因为那时我就会亲自动手的。”

于是她揩干了格尔达的眼泪，把她的双手放进那又柔和、又温暖的暖手筒里。

现在马车终于停下来了。她们走进强盗宫殿的院子里来。这宫殿从顶到地都布满了裂痕。大渡鸟和乌鸦从敞着的洞口飞出来，大哈叭狗——每只好像能吞掉一个人似的——跳得很高，不过它们并不叫，因为这是不准许的。

在一个古老的、烟熏的大房间里，有一堆火在石铺的地上熊熊地燃着。烟在天花板下面打旋转，想要找一个出路冒出去。有一大罐子汤正在沸腾着，有许多家兔和野兔在铁杆上烤着。

“今晚你跟我和我的小动物一起睡。”小强盗女孩说。

她们吃了一些东西，也喝了一些东西，然后走到铺了稻草和地毯的一个墙角里去。这儿有一百多只鸽子栖在板条上和栖木上。它们都快要睡着了。不过当两个女孩子来到的时候，它们就把头掉过来看了一眼。

“这些东西都是属于我的，”小强盗女孩说。于是她马上抓住手边的一只，提着它的双腿摇了几摇，直到弄得它乱拍起翅膀来。“吻它一下吧！”她大声说，同时在格尔达的脸上打了一巴掌，“那儿坐着几个林中的混蛋，”她继续说，指着墙上用木条拦着的一个洞口。“这两个东西都是林中的混蛋。如果你不把它们关好，它们马上就飞走了。现在请看我的老爱人‘叭’吧。”她抓着一只驯鹿的角，把它拖出来。它是套着的；颈项上戴着一个光亮的铜圈。“我们得把它牢牢地套住，否则它就逃掉了。每天晚上我用一把尖刀子在它脖子上搔搔痒——它非常害怕这一手。”

这小女孩子于是从墙缝里抽出一把长刀，放在驯鹿的脖子上滑了几下。这只可怜的动物弹着腿子。小强盗女孩大笑了一通，把格尔达拖进床里去。

“当你睡觉的时候，你也把这刀子放在身边吗？”格尔达问，同时惊恐地看着这把刀子。

“我总是和我的刀子一起睡觉的！”小强盗女孩回答说，“因为谁也不知道会有什么意外发生呀。不过现在请你把关于加伊的事情，以及你为什么跑到这个大世界里来的缘故，再告诉我一遍吧。”

格尔达又从头讲了一遍。斑鸠在上面的笼子里咕咕地叫，同时别的斑鸠就都睡去了。小强盗女孩用一只手搂着格尔达的脖子，另一只手拿着刀子，也睡去了——人们可以听见这些动作。不过格尔达无论如何也合不上眼睛——她不知道她要活着，还是死去。

强盗们围着火坐着，一面唱歌，一面喝酒。那个强盗老女人就翻着跟头。一个小女孩子看到这情景真要感到害怕。

于是那些斑鸠就说：“咕！咕！我们看见小小的加伊。一只白母鸡背着他的雪橇：他坐在白雪皇后的车子里。当我们待在巢里的时候，车子低低地在树林上飞过去。她在我们的小斑鸠身上吹了一口气：除了我们俩以外，大家都死了。咕！咕！”

“你们在上面讲些什么？”格尔达问，“白雪皇后旅行到什么地方去了？你们知道吗？”

“她大概是到拉普兰(拉普兰（Lapand）是瑞典、挪威和芬兰北部的一块地方，非常寒冷。)去了，因为那儿整年都是冰雪。你去问问用绳子套着的那只驯鹿吧。”

“那儿有冰有雪，那儿壮丽辉煌！”驯鹿说，“那儿，人们可以在亮晶晶的山谷里自由地跳跃！那儿，白雪皇后架起她夏天的帐篷，不过她经常住的宫殿是在北极附近一个叫做斯匹次卑尔根

（Spiyzbergen是北冰洋上的一个群岛，属于挪威。）的岛上。”

“啊，加伊，小小的加伊！”格尔达叹着气。

“你得静静地躺着，”小强盗女孩说，“否则我就要把刀子刺进你的肚皮里去！”

第二天早晨，格尔达把斑鸠说的话都告诉了她。小强盗女孩的样子非常严肃，不过她点点头，说：

“不要紧！不要紧！你知道拉普兰在什么地方吗？”她问驯鹿。

“谁能比我还知道得更清楚呢？”驯鹿说，它的一双眼睛在脑袋上转动着。“我是在那儿出生，在那儿长大的。我在那儿的雪地上跳跃过。”

“听着！”小强盗女孩对格尔达说。“你要知道：我们的男人都走了。只有妈妈还留下，她将在这儿待下去。不过将近中午的时候，她将从那个大瓶里喝点东西，于是她就要打一个盹儿，那时我再来帮你的忙吧！”

她从床上跳下来，搂着她妈妈的脖子，拉拉她的胡子，于是说：

“早安，我的亲爱的老母山羊。”

她的妈妈在她的鼻子上敲了几下，敲得她发红和发青——不过这完全是从真正的母爱出发的。

妈妈从瓶子里喝了点什么东西以后，就睡过去了。小强盗女孩走到驯鹿那儿，说：

“我倒很想用尖刀再捅你几下，因为这样你的样子才滑稽。不过没有关系，我将解开你的绳子把你放出去，好使你能跑到拉普兰去。不过你得好好地使用你的这双腿，把这个小小的女孩子带到白雪皇后的宫殿里去——她的玩伴就在那儿。你已经听到过她对我讲的话，因为她的声音讲得很大，而且你也在偷听！”

驯鹿快乐得高高跳起来。小强盗女孩把小小的格尔达抱到它的背上，而且很谨慎地把她系牢，甚至还给了她一个小垫子作为座位。

“没有关系，”她说，“你穿上你的皮靴好了，因为天气变冷了。不过我要把这个暖手筒留下，因为它很可爱！但是你仍然不会感到冷的。这是我母亲的一副大手套，可以一直套到你的胳膊肘子上。套上去吧！你的一双手现在真像我那位丑妈妈的手了。”

格尔达快乐得哭起来。

“你流出一大滩眼泪，我看不惯！”小强盗女孩说。“现在你应该显得很快乐才是。你把这两块面包和一块火腿拿去吧，免得挨饿。”

这些东西都被系在驯鹿的背上。小强盗女孩把门打开，把一些大狗都哄进屋子里去。于是她用刀子把绳子割断，并且对驯鹿说：

“你跑吧！不过请你好好地照料这个小女孩子！”

格尔达把她戴着大手套的一双手伸向小强盗女孩，说了声：“再会！”于是驯鹿就在树桩和灌木上飞奔起来，穿过树林，越过沼泽地和大草原，尽快地奔驰。豺狼在呼啸，乌鸦在呱呱地叫。“嘘！嘘！”这是空中发出的声音。天空好像燃烧起来了似的。

“那是我亲爱的老北极光！”驯鹿说，“瞧，它是多么亮！”于是它跑得更快，日夜不停地跑。

面包吃完了，火腿也吃完了，这时他们到达了拉普兰。

第六个故事：拉普兰女人和芬兰女人
他们在一个小屋子面前停下来。这屋子是非常简陋的；它的屋顶低得几乎接触到地面；它的门是那么矮，当家里的人要走出走进的时候，就得伏在地上爬。屋子里除了一个老太婆以外，什么人也没有，她现在在一盏油灯上煎鱼。驯鹿把格尔达的全部经历都讲了，不过它先讲自己的，因为它觉得它的最重要。格尔达冻得一点力气也没有，连一句话也讲不出来了。

“唉，你们这些可怜的东西！”拉普兰女人说，“你们要跑的路还长得很呢！你们还要跑三百多丹麦里路，才能到达芬马克（Finnmark是挪威最北部的一个县，也是欧洲最北部的一个地区，极为寒冷。），因为白雪皇后在那儿的乡下休假。她每天晚上放起蓝色的焰火

(指北极光。)。我将在一条干鳕鱼上写几个字，因为我没有纸，你们可以把它带到一个芬兰的老太婆那儿去——她会告诉你更多的消息。”

当格尔达暖了一阵、吃了和喝了一些东西以后，拉普兰女人就在一条干鳕鱼上写下几个字，并且告诉格尔达好好拿着它，然后把她系在驯鹿的背上，这鹿立刻就跳走了，“呼！呼！”它在高空中说。最美丽的、蔚蓝色的北极光，一整夜不停地在闪耀着。

这样他们到了芬马克，他们在那个芬兰女人的烟囱上敲着，因为她连一个门也没有。

屋子里的热气很大，芬兰女人几乎是一丝不挂地住在那儿。她的身材很小，而且很脏。她马上把格尔达的衣服解开，把她的大手套和靴子脱下，否则格尔达就会感到太热了。她在驯鹿的头上放了一块冰，然后读了写在鳕鱼上的字——她一连读了三遍。当她把这些字都记熟了以后，就把这鱼扔进一个汤罐里去煮，因为它是可以吃的，而且她又是一个从来不浪费任何东西的人。

驯鹿先讲了自己的故事，然后又讲了小小格尔达的故事，芬兰女人眨着她聪明的眼睛，一句话也不说。

“你是很聪明的，”驯鹿说，“我知道你能用一根缝线把世界上所有的风都缝在一起。如果船长解开一个结，他就可以有好的风；如果他松开第二个结，那么风就吹得更厉害；不过当他解开第三个和第四个结的时候，那就会有一阵可以把树林吹倒的暴风雨。你能不能给这小女孩一点东西喝，使她能有12个人那么大的力量来制服白雪皇后呢？”

“12个人那么大的力量！”芬兰女人说，“这太管用了！”

她走到橱格子那儿，抱下一大捆皮，把这捆皮打开。它上面写着许多奇怪的字母。芬兰女人读着，一直读到额上滴下汗珠。

不过驯鹿又替小小的格尔达非常殷切地恳求了一番，格尔达本人也用充满了泪珠的、祈求的目光望着这芬兰女人。女人也开始眨着眼睛，把驯鹿牵到一个墙角边去，一面在它背上放一块新鲜的冰，一面说：

“小小的加伊当然是住在白雪皇后那儿的。他在那儿觉得什么东西都合乎他的胃口和想法。他以为那儿就是世界上最美的地方。不过这是因为他的心里有一块镜子的碎片、他的眼里有一颗镜子的碎粒的缘故。必须先把它们取出来，不然他将永远不能成为人了。但是白雪皇后会尽一切力量来留住他的！”

“不过你能不能给小小的格尔达一件什么东西，使她能有力量克服一切困难呢？”

“我不能给她比她现在所有的力量更大的力量：你没有看出这力量是怎样大吗？你没有看出人和动物是怎样为她服务吗？你没有看出她打着一双赤脚在这世界上跑了多少路吗？她不需要从我们这儿知道她自己的力量。她的力量就在她的心里；她是一个天真可爱的孩子——这就是她的力量。如果她自己不能到白雪皇后那儿，把玻璃碎片从小小的加伊身上取出来，那么我们也没有办法帮助她！白雪皇后的花园就从那个离开这儿两丹麦里路的地方开始。你可以把这小姑娘带到那儿去：把她放在雪地上一个生满了红花浆果的大灌木林旁边。不要呆在那儿闲聊，抓紧时间回到这儿来！”

于是芬兰女人就把格尔达抱到驯鹿的背上。它尽快地飞跑。

“哎呀，我没有穿上靴子！没有戴上大手套！”小小的格尔达叫着。

她马上就感到刺人的寒冷；不过驯鹿不敢停下来：它一口气跑到生满了红浆果的那个灌木林旁边。它把格尔达放下来，在她的嘴上吻了一下，于是大颗亮晶晶的眼泪就流到了脸上来。它尽快地又跑回去了。可怜的格尔达站在那儿，在那可怕的、寒冷的芬马克，没有穿鞋子，也没有戴大手套。

她拼命地向前跑。一股雪花卷过来了。它不是从天上落下来的，因为天上非常晴朗，而且还射出北极光。雪花是沿着地面卷来的。它越逼得近，就越变得庞大。格尔达记起，从前她透过热玻璃朝外望的时候，雪花是多么大，多么美丽啊。不过在这儿它们显得非常庞大和可怕——它们是有生命的。它们是白雪皇后的前哨兵，而且是奇形怪状的。有的样子像丑陋的大刺猬；有的像许多伸出头、纠成一团的蛇；有的像毛发直立的小胖熊。它们全都是白得发亮的、有生命的雪花。

小小的格尔达念着《主祷文》。天气是那么寒冷，她可以看到自己呼出的气像烟雾似的从嘴里冒出来。呼出的气越来越浓，形成了明亮的小安琪儿。当他们一接触到地面时，就越变越大。他们都戴着头盔，拿着矛和盾。他们的数目在增大。当格尔达念完了祷告以后，她周围就出现了一个很大的兵团。这些兵士用长矛刺着这些可怕的雪花，把这些雪花打成无数碎片。于是小小的格尔达就又稳步地、勇敢地向前进。安琪儿抚摸着她的手和脚，于是她就不那么感到寒冷了。她匆忙地向白雪皇后的宫殿前进。

不过现在我们要先看看加伊是在做些什么。他一点也没有想到小小的格尔达，更想不到她是站在宫殿的门口。

第七个故事：白雪皇后宫殿里发生的事情和结果

宫殿的墙是由积雪筑成的，刺骨的寒风就是它的窗和门。这里面有一百多间房子，全是雪花吹到一起形成的。它们之中最大的房间有几丹麦里路长。强烈的北极光把它们照亮；它们是非常大、非常空、非常寒冷和非常光亮。这儿从来没有过什么快乐，甚至小熊的舞会也没有。事实上，暴风雪很可能在这儿奏起一点音乐，让北极熊用后腿站着迈迈步子，表演表演它们出色的姿态。它们连打打嘴和敲敲脚掌的小玩意儿都没有。年轻的白狐狸姑娘们也从来没有开过任何小茶话会。

白雪皇后的大厅里是空洞的、广阔的和寒冷的。北极光照得那么准确，你可以算出它在什么时候最高，什么时候最低。在这个空洞的、没有边际的雪厅中央有一个结冰的湖——它裂成了一千块碎片；不过每一片跟其他的小片的形状完全一样，所以这就像一套很完美的艺术品。当白雪皇后在家的时候，她就坐在这湖的中央。她自己说她是坐在理智的镜子里，而且这是唯一的、世上最好的镜子。

小小的加伊冻得发青——的确，几乎是冻得发黑，不过他不觉得，因为白雪皇后把他身上的寒颤都吻掉了。他的心简直像一块冰块。他正在搬弄着几块平整而尖利的冰，把它们拼来拼去，想拼成一件什么东西。这正好像我们想用几块木片拼成图案一样——就是所谓中国玩具(指七巧板、九连环等玩具。这里指的是七巧板。)。加伊也在拼图案——最复杂的图案。

这叫做理智的冰块游戏。在他的眼中，这些图案是最了不起的、也是非常重要的东西；这完全是因为他眼睛里的那块镜子碎片在作怪的缘故。他把这些图案摆出来，组成一个字——不过怎么也组不成他所希望的那个字——“永恒”。于是白雪皇后就说：

“如果你能拼出这个图案的话，那么你就是你自己的主人了。我将给你整个世界和一双新冰鞋，作为礼物。”

可是他拼不出来。

“现在我急于要飞到温暖的国度里去！”白雪皇后说，“我要去看看那些黑罐子！”她所指的是那些火山，也就是我们所谓的埃特纳火山（Etna是意大利的西西里岛上的一座火山，主要喷火口海拔3323米。）和维苏威火山Vesuvius是意大利那不勒斯湾东边的一座火山，海拔1280米。两山的山坡上均种植葡萄及果树。）。“我将使它们变得白一点！有这个需要；这对于葡萄和柠檬是有好处的。”)

于是白雪皇后就飞走了。加伊单独坐在那有几丹麦里路长的、又大又空的冰殿里，呆望着他的那些冰块。他坠入深思，几乎把头都想破了。他直挺挺地坐着，一动也不动，人们可能以为他是冻死了。

这时小小的格尔达恰巧走进大门，到宫殿里来了。这儿的风很锐利，不过当她念完了晚祷后，风儿就静下来了，好像睡去了似的。她走进了这个宽广、空洞、寒冷的屋子，看到了加伊。她马上就把他认出来了。她倒在他身上，拥抱着他，紧紧地搂着他，同时叫出声来：

“加伊，亲爱的小加伊！我总算找到你了！”

不过他坐着一动也不动，直挺挺的，很冷淡。于是小格尔达流出许多热泪。眼泪流到他的胸膛上，渗进他的心里，把那里面的雪块融化了，把那里面的一小块镜子的碎片也分解了。他望着她，她唱出一首圣诗：

山谷里玫瑰花长得丰茂，
那儿我们遇见圣婴耶稣。

这时加伊大哭起来。他哭得厉害，连眼睛中的镜子粉末也流出来了。现在他认得出她，所以他快乐地叫着：

“格尔达，亲爱的格尔达！你到什么地方去了这么久？我也到什么地方去了？”他向周围望了一眼。“这儿是多么寒冷啊！这儿是多么广阔和空洞啊！”

他紧抱着格尔达。她快乐得一时哭，一时笑。他们是那么高兴，连周围的冰块都快乐得跳起舞来。当他们因为疲乏而躺下来的时候，两人就恰恰形成一个字的图案——白雪皇后曾经说过，如果他能拼出这个图案，他就成为他自己的主人，同时她也将给他整个世界和一双新冰靴。

格尔达吻着他的双颊：双颊像开放的花；她吻着他的双眼：双眼像她自己的一样发亮；她吻着他的手和脚，于是他又变得健康和活泼起来。白雪皇后这时尽可以回到家里来，但是他的解放的字据已经亮晶晶地印在冰块上。

他们手挽着手，走出了这座巨大的冰宫。他们谈起了祖母，谈起了屋顶上的玫瑰花。他们到什么地方，风就停息了，同时太阳就露出了面。当他们来到那个红色浆果的灌木林的时候，驯鹿正在那儿等着他们。它还带来了另外一只小母鹿。母鹿的乳房鼓得满满的，所以她给这两个小孩子温暖的奶吃，同时吻着他们的嘴。它们把加伊和格尔达先送到芬兰女人那儿去。他们在她温暖的房间里暖了一阵子，并且得到一些关于回家的路程的指示。然后他们就到拉普兰女人那儿去。这女人已经为他们做好了新衣服，而且把她的雪橇也修好了。

驯鹿和小母鹿在他们旁边连蹦带跳地走着，一直陪送他们到达边境。这儿早春的植物已经冒出绿芽来了。他们和这两只驯鹿和拉普兰女人告了别。“再会吧！”大家都说。初春的小鸟开始喃喃地唱着歌；树林盖满了一层绿色的嫩芽。有一匹漂亮的马儿从树林里跑出来。格尔达认识它，因为它就是从前拉着金马车的那匹马。一个年轻的姑娘骑着它。她头上戴着一顶发亮的红帽子，她还带着手枪。这就是那个小强盗女孩。她在家里呆得腻了，想要先到北方去一趟；如果她不喜欢那地方的话，再到别的地方去。她马上就认出了格尔达；格尔达也认出了她。她们见了面非常高兴。

“你真是一个可爱的流浪汉！”她对小小的加伊说。“我倒要问问，你值不值得让一个人赶到天边去找你？”

不过格尔达摸着她的脸，问起那位王子和那位公主。

“他们都旅行到外国去了！”小强盗女孩说。

“可是那只乌鸦呢？”小格尔达问。

“嗯，那只乌鸦已经死了，”小强盗女孩回答说，“那只驯服的爱人便成了一个寡妇，它的腿上还带着一条黑绒！它伤心得很，不过这完全没有一点意义！现在请把你的经过告诉我，你怎样找到他的？”

格尔达和加伊两个人都把经过讲出来了。

“嘶——唏——嗤！”小强盗女孩说。于是她握着他们两人的手，同时答应说，如果她走过他们的城市，她一定会来拜访他们的。然后她就骑着马奔向茫茫的大世界里去了。格尔达和加伊手挽着手走。他们在路上所见到的是一个青枝绿叶、开满了花朵的美丽的春天。教堂的钟声响起来了，他们认出了那些教堂的尖塔和他们所住的那个大城市。他们走进城，一直走到祖母家的门口；他们爬上楼梯，走进房间——这儿一切东西都在原来的地方没有动。那个大钟在“滴答——滴答”地走，上面的针也在转动。不过当他们一走出门的时候，他们就发现自己已经长成大人了。水笕上的玫瑰花正在敞开的窗子面前盛开。这儿有好几张小孩坐的椅子。加伊和格尔达各自坐在自己的椅子上，互相握着手。他们像做了一场大梦一样，已经把白雪皇后那儿的寒冷和空洞的壮观全忘掉了。祖母坐在上帝的明朗的太阳光中，高声地念着《圣经》：“除非你成为一个孩子，你决计进入不了上帝的国度！”(《圣经·新约全书·马可福音》第十章第十五节是这样说的：“我实在告诉你们，凡要承受神国的，若不像小孩子，断不能进去。”)

加伊和格尔达面对面地互相望着，立刻懂得了那首圣诗的意义——

山谷里玫瑰花长得丰茂，

那儿我们遇见圣婴耶稣。

他们两人坐在那儿，已经是成人了，但同时也是孩子——在心里还是孩子。这时正是夏天，暖和的、愉快的夏天。

（１８４５）

这篇故事收集在《新的童话》里，整个情节像一首诗——一首歌颂天真无邪、纯洁感情的诗。诗中的主人公小女孩格尔达有点像《野天鹅》中的小妹妹艾丽莎，她用她坚强的毅力和纯真的感情，冲破一切艰难险阻，终于战胜了重重困难，使她亲爱的朋友小小的加伊得救。她的这种力量是从哪里来的呢？没有任何人“能给她比她现在所有的力量更大的力量：你没有看出这力量是怎样大吗？……她的力量就在她的心里；她是一个天真可爱的孩子——这就是她的力量。如果她自己不能到白雪皇后那儿，把玻璃碎片从小小的加伊身上取出来，那么我们也没有办法帮助她！”小小格尔达有这种力量，但得自己去发挥，自己去奋斗。这就是这个故事所给予人们的启示。据说这篇故事与安徒生和瑞典著名的女歌唱家珍妮的关系有关。他年轻时曾经以极纯真的感情崇爱过她。但他却没有得到小小的格尔达所得到的那样的结果：珍妮告诉他，他们之间的感情是兄妹之间的感情，而不是其他。——叶君健（译者）

爱华网本文地址 » http://www.413yy.cn/a/25101016/300641.html