FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   639   640   641   642   643   644   645   646   647   648   649   650   651   652   653   654   655   656   657   658   659   660   661   662   663  
664   665   666   667   668   669   670   671   672   673   674   675   676   677   678   679   680   681   682   683   684   685   686   687   688   >>   >|  
drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out. And Gerda was glad to feel herself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid of the strange old woman. "Come and tell me who you are," said she, "and how came you here." Then Gerda told her everything, while the old woman shook her head, and said, "Hem-hem;" and when she had finished, Gerda asked if she had not seen little Kay, and the old woman told her he had not passed by that way, but he very likely would come. So she told Gerda not to be sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look at the flowers; they were better than any picture-book, for each of them could tell a story. Then she took Gerda by the hand and led her into the little house, and the old woman closed the door. The windows were very high, and as the panes were red, blue, and yellow, the daylight shone through them in all sorts of singular colors. On the table stood beautiful cherries, and Gerda had permission to eat as many as she would. While she was eating them the old woman combed out her long flaxen ringlets with a golden comb, and the glossy curls hung down on each side of the little round pleasant face, which looked fresh and blooming as a rose. "I have long been wishing for a dear little maiden like you," said the old woman, "and now you must stay with me, and see how happily we shall live together." And while she went on combing little Gerda's hair, she thought less and less about her adopted brother Kay, for the old woman could conjure, although she was not a wicked witch; she conjured only a little for her own amusement, and now, because she wanted to keep Gerda. Therefore she went into the garden, and stretched out her crutch towards all the rose-trees, beautiful though they were; and they immediately sunk into the dark earth, so that no one could tell where they had once stood. The old woman was afraid that if little Gerda saw roses she would think of those at home, and then remember little Kay, and run away. Then she took Gerda into the flower-garden. How fragrant and beautiful it was! Every flower that could be thought of for every season of the year was here in full bloom; no picture-book could have more beautiful colors. Gerda jumped for joy, and played till the sun went down behind the tall cherry-trees; then she slept in an elegant bed with red silk pillows, embroidered with colored violets; and then she dreamed as pleasantly as a queen on her wedding day. The next day, and for many days
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   639   640   641   642   643   644   645   646   647   648   649   650   651   652   653   654   655   656   657   658   659   660   661   662   663  
664   665   666   667   668   669   670   671   672   673   674   675   676   677   678   679   680   681   682   683   684   685   686   687   688   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

beautiful

 
cherries
 

picture

 

garden

 

thought

 

flower

 

colors

 

afraid

 

immediately

 

crutch


lifted

 

stretched

 

wanted

 

adopted

 

brother

 

combing

 

conjure

 

wicked

 

Therefore

 

amusement


conjured

 

elegant

 

pillows

 

cherry

 

embroidered

 

colored

 

wedding

 

violets

 
dreamed
 

pleasantly


fragrant

 

remember

 
jumped
 

played

 

season

 

windows

 

closed

 

singular

 

yellow

 

daylight


flowers

 

passed

 
sorrowful
 

finished

 

wishing

 
blooming
 

looked

 

maiden

 

happily

 
ground