HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES
droll manner, and so people laughed at him. Very soon he could mimic everybody in the street. All that was singular and awkward about them could Kay imitate, and his neighbours said, 'What a remarkable head that boy has!' But no, it was the glass splinter which had fallen into his eye, the glass splinter which had pierced into his heart—it was these which made him regardless whose feelings he wounded, and even made him tease the little Gerda who loves him so fondly.
His games were now quite different from what they used to be, they were so rational! One winter's day when it was snowing, he came out with a large burning-glass in his hand, and holding up the skirts of his blue coat let the snow-flakes fall upon them. 'Now look through the glass, Gerda!' said he, returning to the house. Every snow-flake seemed much larger, and resembled a splendid flower, or a star with ten points; they were quite beautiful. 'See, how curious!' said Kay, 'these are far more interesting than real flowers, there is not a single blemish in them; they would be quite perfect if only they did not melt.'
Soon after this Kay came in again, with thick gloves on his hands, and his sledge slung across his back. He called out to Gerda, 'I have got leave to drive on the great square where the other boys play!' and away he went.
The boldest boys in the square used to fasten their sledges firmly to the wagons of the country people, and thus drive a good way along with them; this they thought particularly pleasant. Whilst they were in the midst of their play, a large sledge painted white passed by; in it sat a person wrapped in a rough white fur, and wearing a rough white cap. When the sledge had driven twice round the square, Kay bound to it his little sledge, and was carried on with it. On they went, faster and faster, into the next street. The person who drove the 76
