They arrived at a large town, the church hells were ringing nerve, and they 
minediately recognised the high towers rising into the sky it was the town wherein they 
had lived. Joyfully they passed through the streets, joviully they stopped at the door of 
Gerda’s grandmother. They walked up the stairs and entered the well-known room. The 
“lock said “Tick. tick! and the hands moved as before: only one alteration could the 
find, and that was in themselves, for they saw that they were now full grown persons. The 
rose-trees on the roof blossomed in front of the open window, and there beneath them 
stood the children's stools, Kay and Gerda went and sat down upon them, still holding 
cach other by the hands: the cold, hollow splendour of the Snow Queen's palace they hac 
forgotten, it seemed to them only an unpleasant dream. The grandmother meanwhile sa 
amid God's bright sunshine, and read from the Bible these words: Except ve become 
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 
And Kay and Gerda gazed on cach other: they now understood the whole of their 
hyvnmn. 
Our roses bloom and fade away, 
Our Infant Lord abides alway! 
May we be blessed His face to see 
Aud ever little children het”? 
Fhere they sat, those two happy ones, grown up and vet children, children 1m 
heart, while all around them glowed bright summer, warm, clortous simmer