still on the ground, but flies up into the black cloud. At winter nights she flies through the streets of the town and looks in the windows, and then they freeze into wonderful patterns, like flowers.”
“Can the Snow Queen get in here?” asked the little girl.
“Let her come!” said the boy, “and I’ll put her on the hot stove and she’ll melt.”
One evening, when little Kay was at home, he climbed up on the stool by the window and peeped through the little hole. A few snowflakes were falling outside, and one of them, the biggest of them all, was lying in a corner of one of the flower-boxes. It grew larger and larger, and at last turned into a lady, dressed in a white dress, which seemed to be made out of millions of snowflakes. She was very pretty and delicate, and she was made from ice, but she was alive. Her eyes were like two bright stars, but there was no rest or quietness in them. She nodded towards the window and beckoned with her hand. The little boy was frightened and jumped down off the stool.
Next day was clear and frosty, and after that came spring-time; the swallows built their nests, the windows were open, and the children sat once more in their little garden. What lovely summer days were those, and how nice it was to be out among the fresh rose bushes!
Kay and Gerda were looking at a picture book with animals and birds in it, and then-just as the clock in the great church tower was striking five-Kay said, “Oh! Something pricked my heart, and I’ve just got something in my eye!”
The little girl put her arm round his neck, and he winked his eye, but no, there was nothing. “I think it’s gone,” he said, but it wasn’t. It was one of those tiny bits of the troll-glass. Poor Kay! He had got a piece of it right into his heart, and it started to turn into ice.
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