[32 Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales 
them, but they often obtained leave to sit on their little sto) 
inder the rose trees, and thus they passed many a delightful hous 
But when winter came there was an end to these pleasures, 
The windows were often quite frozen over, and then they heateg 
halfpence on the stove, held the warm copper against the frozen 
pane, and thus made a little round peep-hole through which they 
could see each other. 
The little boy was called Kay ; the little oirl’s name was Gerda, 
In summer they could get out of the window and jump over to 
cach other; but in winter there were stairs to run down and 
stairs to run up, and sometimes the wind roared and the snow 
fell without doors. | 
« Those are the white bees swarming there!” said the old 
srandmother. 
« Have they a Queen bee?” asked the little boy, for he knew 
that the real bees have one. 
« They have,” said the grandmother. © She flies yonder where 
they swarm so thickly; she is the largest of them, and never 
remains upon the earth, but flies up again into the black cloud. 
Sometimes on a winter's night she flies through the streets of the 
town, and breathes with her frosty breath upon the windows, and 
then they are covered with strange and beautiful forms like trees 
and flowers.” 
“Yes, I have seen them!” said both the children—they knew 
that this was true. 
« Can the Snow Queen come in here ?” asked the little girl 
«If she do come in,” said the boy, “I will put her on the 
warm stove, and then she will melt.” 
And the grandmother stroked his hair and told him stories. 
That same evening, after little Kay had gone home and was 
half undressed he crept upon the chair by the window and peeped 
through the little round hole. Just then a few snowflakes fell 
outside, and one, the largest of them, remained lying on the edge 
of one of the flower-pots. The snowflake appeared large and 
larger, and at last took the form of a lady dressed in the finest 
white crape, her attire being composed of millions of star-like 
particles. She was exquisitely fair and delicate, but entirely of 
ice, glittering, dazzling ice; her eyes gleamed like two bright 
oi ere ** 
fo" ind 
ad! 
p age bird 
There 8 2 
ge tre¢ 
J window 
jel their It 
{he houses 
The roses DI 
Jlaned a 
eninded her 
dhesang It 
And the It 
ws, and looke 
Vat glorious 
under those 
leave off bles 
One day K: 
li fl of bi 
Oh dea) 
iting has 
The ig 
Wi; I there 
Liye 
hi) of thoge | 
ply 0 
% in hates 
h ky har 
Tg hayg 
yy, 
Thy Oc 
Ty 
fy thie |