安徒生童话-第170章

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leep；　although　they　movedslightly　when　the　two　little　girls　came　near　them。　〃These　all　belongto　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　and　she　seized　the　nearest　to　her；held　it　by　the　feet；　and　shook　it　till　it　flapped　its　wings。　〃Kissit；〃　cried　she；　flapping　it　in　Gerda's　face。　〃There　sit　thewood…pigeons；〃　continued　she；　pointing　to　a　number　of　laths　and　a　cagewhich　had　been　fixed　into　the　walls；　near　one　of　the　openings。　〃Bothrascals　would　fly　away　directly；　if　they　were　not　closely　locked　up。And　here　is　my　old　sweetheart　'Ba；'　and　she　dragged　out　a　reindeerby　the　horn；　he　wore　a　bright　copper　ring　round　his　neck；　and　was　tiedup。　〃We　are　obliged　to　hold　him　tight　too；　or　else　he　would　run　awayfrom　us　also。　I　tickle　his　neck　every　evening　with　my　sharp　knife；which　frightens　him　very　much。〃　And　then　the　robber…girl　drew　a　longknife　from　a　chink　in　the　wall；　and　let　it　slide　gently　over　thereindeer's　neck。　The　poor　animal　began　to　kick；　and　the　littlerobber…girl　laughed；　and　pulled　down　Gerda　into　bed　with　her。

〃Will　you　have　that　knife　with　you　while　you　are　asleep？〃　askedGerda；　looking　at　it　in　great　fright。

〃I　always　sleep　with　the　knife　by　me；〃　said　the　robber…girl。　〃Noone　knows　what　may　happen。　But　now　tell　me　again　all　about　little　Kay；and　why　you　went　out　into　the　world。〃

Then　Gerda　repeated　her　story　over　again；　while　the　wood…pigeonsin　the　cage　over　her　cooed；　and　the　other　pigeons　slept。　The　littlerobber…girl　put　one　arm　across　Gerda's　neck；　and　held　the　knife　in　theother；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　and　snoring。　But　Gerda　could　not　closeher　eyes　at　all；　she　knew　not　whether　she　was　to　live　or　die。　Therobbers　sat　round　the　fire；　singing　and　drinking；　and　the　old　womanstumbled　about。　It　was　a　terrible　sight　for　a　little　girl　to　witness。

Then　the　wood…pigeons　said；　〃Coo；　coo；　we　have　seen　little　Kay。A　white　fowl　carried　his　sledge；　and　he　sat　in　the　carriage　of　theSnow　Queen；　which　drove　through　the　wood　while　we　were　lying　in　ournest。　She　blew　upon　us；　and　all　the　young　ones　died　excepting　ustwo。　Coo；　coo。〃

〃What　are　you　saying　up　there？〃　cried　Gerda。　〃Where　was　the　SnowQueen　going？　Do　you　know　anything　about　it？〃

〃She　was　most　likely　travelling　to　Lapland；　where　there　isalways　snow　and　ice。　Ask　the　reindeer　that　is　fastened　up　there　with　arope。〃

〃Yes；　there　is　always　snow　and　ice；〃　said　the　reindeer；　〃and　it　isa　glorious　place；　you　can　leap　and　run　about　freely　on　the　sparklingice　plains。　The　Snow　Queen　has　her　summer　tent　there；　but　her　strongcastle　is　at　the　North　Pole；　on　an　island　called　Spitzbergen。〃

〃Oh；　Kay；　little　Kay！〃　sighed　Gerda。

〃Lie　still；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　〃or　I　shall　run　my　knife　intoyour　body。〃

In　the　morning　Gerda　told　her　all　that　the　wood…pigeons　hadsaid；　and　the　little　robber…girl　looked　quite　serious；　and　noddedher　head；　and　said；　〃That　is　all　talk；　that　is　all　talk。　Do　you　knowwhere　Lapland　is？〃　she　asked　the　reindeer。

〃Who　should　know　better　than　I　do？〃　said　the　animal；　while　hiseyes　sparkled。　〃I　was　born　and　brought　up　there；　and　used　to　run　aboutthe　snow…covered　plains。〃

〃Now　listen；〃　said　the　robber…girl；　〃all　our　men　are　gone　away；…only　mother　is　here；　and　here　she　will　stay；　but　at　noon　she　alwaysdrinks　out　of　a　great　bottle；　and　afterwards　sleeps　for　a　littlewhile；　and　then；　I'll　do　something　for　you。〃　Then　she　jumped　out　ofbed；　clasped　her　mother　round　the　neck；　and　pulled　her　by　the　beard；crying；　〃My　own　little　nanny　goat；　good　morning。〃　Then　her　motherfilliped　her　nose　till　it　was　quite　red；　yet　she　did　it　all　for　love。

When　the　mother　had　drunk　out　of　the　bottle；　and　was　gone　tosleep；　the　little　robber…maiden　went　to　the　reindeer；　and　said；　〃Ishould　like　very　much　to　tickle　your　neck　a　few　times　more　with　myknife；　for　it　makes　you　look　so　funny；　but　never　mind；…　I　will　untieyour　cord；　and　set　you　free；　so　that　you　may　run　away　to　Lapland；but　you　must　make　good　use　of　your　legs；　and　carry　this　littlemaiden　to　the　castle　of　the　Snow　Queen；　where　her　play…fellow　is。You　have　heard　what　she　told　me；　for　she　spoke　loud　enough；　and　youwere　listening。〃

Then　the　reindeer　jumped　for　joy；　and　the　little　robber…girllifted　Gerda　on　his　back；　and　had　the　forethought　to　tie　her　on；　andeven　to　give　her　her　own　little　cushion　to　sit　on。

〃Here　are　your　fur　boots　for　you；〃　said　she；　〃for　it　will　bevery　cold；　but　I　must　keep　the　muff；　it　is　so　pretty。　However；　youshall　not　be　frozen　for　the　want　of　it；　here　are　my　mother's　largewarm　mittens；　they　will　reach　up　to　your　elbows。　Let　me　put　them　on。There；　now　your　hands　look　just　like　my　mother's。〃

But　Gerda　wept　for　joy。

〃I　don't　like　to　see　you　fret；〃　said　the　little　robber…girl；〃you　ought　to　look　quite　happy　now；　and　here　are　two　loaves　and　a　ham；so　that　you　need　not　starve。〃　These　were　fastened　on　the　reindeer；　andthen　the　little　robber…maiden　opened　the　door；　coaxed　in　all　the　greatdogs；　and　then　cut　the　string　with　which　the　reindeer　was　fastened；with　her　sharp　knife；　and　said；　〃Now　run；　but　mind　you　take　goodcare　of　the　little　girl。〃　And　then　Gerda　stretched　out　her　hand；with　the　great　mitten　on　it；　towards　the　little　robber…girl；　and　said；〃Farewell；〃　and　away　flew　the　reindeer；　over　stumps　and　stones；through　the　great　forest；　over　marshes　and　plains；　as　quickly　as　hecould。　The　wolves　howled；　and　the　ravens　screamed；　while　up　in　the　skyquivered　red　lights　like　flames　of　fire。　〃There　are　my　old　northernlights；〃　said　the　reindeer；　〃see　how　they　flash。〃　And　he　ran　on　dayand　night　still　faster　and　faster；　but　the　loaves　and　the　ham　were　alleaten　by　the　time　they　reached　Lapland。

　SIXTH　STORY

　　　THE　LAPLAND　WOMAN　AND

　THE　FINLAND　WOMAN

They　stopped　at　a　little　hut；　it　was　very　mean　looking；　the　roofsloped　nearly　down　to　the　ground；　and　the　door　was　so　low　that　thefamily　had　to　creep　in　on　their　hands　and　knees；　when　they　went　in　andout。　There　was　no　one　at　home　but　an　old　Lapland　woman；　who　wascooking　fish　by　the　light　of　a　train…oil　lamp。　The　reindeer　told　herall　about　Gerda's　story；　after　having　first　told　his　own；　which　seemedto　him　the　most　important；　but　Gerda　was　so　pinched　with　the　cold　thatshe　could　not　speak。　〃Oh；　you　poor　things；〃　said　the　Lapland　woman；〃you　have　a　long　way　to　go　yet。　You　must　travel　more　than　a　hundredmiles　farther；　to　Finland。　The　Snow　Queen　lives　there　now；　and　sheburns　Bengal　lights　every　evening。　I　will　write　a　few　words　on　a　driedstock…fish；　for　I　have　no　paper；　and　you　can　take　it　from　me　to　theFinland　woman　who　lives　there；　she　can　give　you　better　informationthan　I　can。〃　So　when　Gerda　was　warmed；　and　had　taken　something　toeat　and　drink；　the　woman　wrote　a　few　words　on　the　dried　fish；　and　toldGerda　to　take　great　care　of　it。　Then　she　tied　her　again　on　thereindeer；　and　he　set　off　at　full　speed。　Flash；　flash；　went　thebeautiful　blue　northern　lights　in　the　air　the　whole　night　long。　And　atlength　they　reached　Finland；　and　knocked　at　the　chimney　of　the　Finlandwoman's　hut；　for　it　had　no　door　above　the　ground。　They　crept　in；　butit　was　so　terribly　hot　inside　that　that　woman　wore　scarcely　anyclothes；　she　was　small　and　very　dirty　looking。　She　loosened　littleGerda's　dress；　and　took　off　the　fur　boots　and　the　mittens；　or　Gerdawould　have　been　unable　to　bear　the　heat；　and　then　she　placed　a　pieceof　ice　on　the　reindeer's　head；　and　read　what　was　written　on　thedried　fish。　After　she　had　read　it　three　times；　she　knew　it　by　heart；so　she　popped　the　fish　into　the　soup　saucepan；　as　she　knew　it　was　goodto　eat；　and　she　never　wasted　anything。　The　reindeer　told　his　own　storyfirst；　and　then　little　Gerda's；　and　the　Finlander　twinkled　with　herclever　eyes；　but　she　said　nothing。　〃You　are　so　clever；〃　said　thereindeer；　〃I　know　you　can　tie　all　the　winds　of　the　world　with　apiece　of　twine。　If　a　sailor　unties　one　knot；　he　has　a　fair　wind；when　he　unties　the　second；　it　blows　hard；　but　if　the　third　andfourth　are　loosened；　then　es　a　storm；　which　will　root　up　wholeforests。　Cannot　you　give　this　little　maiden　something　which　willmake　her　as　strong　as　twelve　men；　to　overe　the　Snow　Queen？〃

〃The　Power　of　twelve　men！〃　said　the　Finland　woman；　〃that　wouldbe　of　very　little　use。〃　But　she　went　to　a　shelf　and　took　down　andunrolled　a　large　skin；　on　which　were　inscribed　wonderful　characters；and　she　read　till　the　perspiration　ran　down　from　her　forehead。　But　thereindeer　begged　so　hard　for　little　Gerda；　and　Gerda　looked　at　theFinland　woman　with　such　beseeching　tearful　eyes；　that　her　own　eyesbegan　to　twinkle　again；　so　she　drew　the　reindeer　into　a　corner；　andwhispered　to　him　while　she　laid　a　fresh　piece　of　ice　on　his　head；〃Little　Kay　is　really　with　the　Snow　Queen；　but　he　finds　everythingthere　so　much　to　his　taste　and　his　liking；　that　he　believes　it　isthe　finest　place　in　the　world；　but　this　is　because　he　has　a　piece　ofbroken　glass　in　his　heart；　and　a　little　piece　of　glass　in　his　eye。These　must　be　taken　out；　or　he　will　never　be　a　human　being　again；and　the　Snow　Queen　will　retain　her　power　over　him。〃

〃But　can　you　not　give　little　Gerda　something　to　help　her　toconquer　this　power？〃

〃I　can　give　her　no　greater　power　than　she　has　already；〃　said　thewoman；　〃don't　you　see　how　strong　that　is？　How　men　and　animals　areobliged　to　serve　her；　and　how　well　she　has　got　through　the　world；barefooted　as　she　is。　She　cannot　receive　any　power　from　me　greaterthan　she　n