THE SNOW QUEEN
'That was Kay!' exclaimed Gerda. 'Oh then I have found him,' and she clapped her hands with delight.
'He carried a knapsack on his back,' said the raven.
'No, not a knapsack,' said Gerda, 'a sledge, for he had a sledge with him when he left home.'
'It is possible,' rejoined the raven, 'I did not look very closely, but this I heard from my beloved, that when he entered the palace gates and saw the royal guard in silver, and the lackeys in gold upon the staircase, he did not seem in the least confused, but nodded pleasantly and said to them, "It must be very tedious standing out here; I prefer going in." The halls glistened with light, cabinet councillors and excellencies were walking about bare-footed and carrying golden keys—it was just a place to make a man solemn and silent—and the youth's boots creaked horribly, yet he was not at all afraid.'
'That most certainly was Kay!' said Gerda; 'I know he had new boots; I have heard them creak in my grandmother's room.'
'Indeed they did creak,' said the raven, 'but merrily went he up to the princess, who was sitting upon a pearl as large as a spinning-wheel, whilst all the ladies of the court, with the maids of honour and their handmaidens, ranged in order, stood on one side, and all the gentlemen in waiting, with their gentlemen, and their gentlemen's gentlemen, who also kept pages, stood ranged in order on the other side, and the nearer they were to the door the prouder they looked. The gentlemen's gentlemen's page, who always wears slippers, one dare hardly look at, so proudly he stands at the door.'
'That must be dreadful!' said little Gerda. 'And has Kay really won the princess?'
'Had I not been a raven I should have won her myself,
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