THE SNOW QUEEN

From 'Riverside Literature Series': 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.

FOURTH STORY--THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS

Gerda was obliged to rest herself again, when just over against where
she sat, a large Crow hopped over the white snow. He had sat there a
long while, looking at her and shaking his head; and now he said, "Caw!
caw! Good day! good day!" He could not say it better; but he meant well
by the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone out in
the wide world. The word "alone" Gerda understood quite well, and felt
how much lay in it; so she told the Crow her whole history, and asked if
he had not seen Kay.

The Crow nodded very gravely, and said, "It may be--it may be!"

"What--do you really think so?" cried the little girl; and she nearly
squeezed the Crow to death, so much did she kiss him.

"Gently, gently," said the Crow. "I think I know; I think that it may be
little Kay. But now he has quite forgotten you for the Princess."

"Does he live with a princess?" asked Gerda.

"Yes,--listen," said the Crow; "but it is hard for me to speak your
language. If you understand the Crow language, I can tell you better."

"No, I have not learnt it," said Gerda; "but my grandmother understands
it. I wish I had learnt it."

"No matter," said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can; but it
will be bad enough." And then he told all he knew.

"In the kingdom where we now are, there lives a princess, who is vastly
clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the whole world, and has
forgotten them again,--so clever is she. Some time ago, they say, she
was sitting on her throne,--which is no great fun, after all,--when she
began humming an old tune, and it was just 'Oh, why should I not be
married?' 'Come, now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then
she was bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how to
give an answer when he was spoken to,--not one who was good for nothing
but to stand and be looked at, for that is very tiresome. She then had
all the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heard what
she meant to do, all were well pleased, and said, 'We are quite glad to
hear it: it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You may believe
every word I say," said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that
hops about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.

"The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts and the
initials of