THE SNOW QUEEN
Kay, and the reason of your coming into the wide world all by yourself.'
And Gerda again related her history, and the wood-pigeons imprisoned above listened, but the others were fast asleep. The little robber-maiden threw one arm round Gerda's neck, and holding the dagger with the other, was also soon asleep; one could hear her heavy breathing, but Gerda could not close her eyes throughout the night—she knew not what would become of her, whether she would even be suffered to live. The robbers sat round the fire drinking and singing. Oh, it was a dreadful night for the poor little girl!
Then spoke the wood-pigeons, 'Coo, coo, coo! we have seen little Kay. A white fowl carried his sledge, he himself was in the Snow Queen's chariot, which passed through the wood whilst we sat in our nest. She breathed upon us young ones as she passed, and all died of her breath excepting us two,—coo, coo, coo!'
'What are you saying?' cried Gerda; 'where was the Snow Queen going? Do you know anything about it?'
'She travels most likely to Lapland, where ice and snow abide all the year round. Ask the reindeer bound to the rope there.'
'Yes, ice and snow are there all through the year; it is a glorious land!' said the reindeer. 'There, free and happy, one can roam through the wide sparkling valleys! There the Snow Queen has her summer-tent; her strong castle is very far off, near the North Pole, on the island called Spitsbergen.'
'O Kay, dear Kay!' sighed Gerda.
'You must lie still,' said the robber-maiden, 'or I will thrust my dagger into your side.'
When morning came Gerda repeated to her what the wood-pigeons had said, and the little robber-maiden looked grave for
