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Afterwards， when she brought her picture-book， he asked， “What horrid beasts have you there？” And if his grandmother told them stories， he always interrupted her； besides， if he could manage it， he would get behind her， put on her spectacles， and imitate her way of speaking； he copied all her ways，and then everybody laughed at him. He was soon able to imitate the gait and manner of everyone in the street. Everything that was peculiar and displeasing in them——that Kay knew how to imitate： and at such times all the people said，“The boy is certainly very clever！” But it was the glass he had got in his eye； the glass that was sticking in his heart， which made him tease even little Gerda， whose whole soul was devoted to him.
His games now were quite different to what they had formerly been， they were so very knowing. One winter's day， when the flakes of 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 seemed larger， 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 than real flowers！
they are as exact as possible； there is not a fault in them， if they did not melt！“
It was not long after this， that Kay came one day with large gloves on， and his little sledge at his back， and bawled right into Gerda's ears， “I have permission to go out into the square where the others are playing”； and off he was in a moment.
there， in the market-place， some of the boldest of the boys used to tie their sledges to the carts as they passed by， and so they were pulled along， and got a good ride. It was so capital！ Just as they were in the very height of their amusement， a large sledge passed by： it was painted quite white， and there was someone in it wrapped up in a rough white mantle of fur， with a rough white fur cap on his head. The sledge drove round the square twice， and Kay tied on his sledge as quickly as he could， and off he drove with it. On they went quicker and quicker into the next street； and the person who drove turned round to Kay， and nodded to him in a friendly manner， just as if they knew each other. Every time he was going to untie his sledge， the person nodded to him， and then Kay sat quiet； and so on they went till they came outside the gates of the town. Then the snow began to fall so thickly that the little boy 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 to get loose from the sledge， but it was of no use； still the little vehicle rushed on with the quickness of the wind. He then cried as loud as he could， but no one heard him； the snow drifted and the sledge flew on， and sometimes it gave a jerk as though they were driving over hedges and ditches. He was quite frightened， and he tried to repeat the Lord's Prayer； but all he could do， he was only able to remember the multiplication table.
the snow-flakes GREw larger and larger， till at last they looked just like great white fowls. Suddenly they flew on one side； the large sledge stopped，and the person who drove rose up. It was a lady； her cloak and cap were of snow. She was tall and of slender figure， 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 put him in the sledge beside her， wrapped the fur round him， and he felt as though he were sinking in a snow-wreath.
“Are you still cold？” asked she； and then she kissed his forehead. Ah！ it was colder than ice； it penetrated to his very heart， which was already almost a frozen lump； it seemed to him as if he were about to die——but a moment more and it was quite congenial to him， and he did not remark the cold that was around him.
“My sledge！ Do not forget my sledge！” It was the first thing he thought of. It was there tied to one of the white chickens， who flew along with it on his back behind the large sledge. The Snow Queen kissed Kay once more， and then he forgot little Gerda， grandmother， and all whom he had left at his home.
“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 countenance he could not fancy to himself； and she no longer appeared of ice as before， when she sat outside the window， and beckoned to him； in his eyes she was perfect， he did not fear her at all， and told her that he could calculate in his head and with fractions， even； that he knew the number of square miles there were in the different countries， and how many inhabitants they contained； and she smiled while he spoke. It then seemed to him as if what he knew was not enough， and he looked upwards in the large huge empty space above him， and on she flew with him； flew high over the black clouds，while the storm moaned and whistled as though it were singing some old tune. On they flew over woods and lakes， over seas， and many lands； and beneath them the chilling storm rushed fast， the wolves howled， the snow crackled； above them flew large screaming crows， but higher up appeared the moon， quite large and bright； and it was on it that Kay gazed during the long long winter's night； while by day he slept at the feet of the Snow Queen.
THIRD STORY. Of the Flower-Garden At the Old Woman's Who Understood Witchcraft
But what became of little Gerda when Kay did not return？ Where could he be？
Nobody knew； nobody could give any intelligence. All the boys knew was， that they had seen him tie his sledge to another large and splendid one， which drove down the street and out of the town. Nobody knew where he was； many sad tears were shed， and little Gerda wept long and bitterly； at last she said he must be dead； that he had been drowned in the river which flowed close to the town. 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 did not think so any longer either.
“I'll put on my red shoes，” said she， one morning； “Kay has never seen them，and then I'll go down to the river and ask there.”
It was quite 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 make you a present of my red shoes， if you will give him back to me.”
