hereweare!"theboatfloatedwiththestream;littlegerdasatquitestillwithonlyherstockingsonherfeet;theredshoesfloatedafterher,butshecouldnotreachthembecausetheboatkeptsomuchinadvance.thebanksoneachsideoftheriverwereverypretty.therewerebeautifulflowers,oldtrees,slopingfields,inwhichcowsandsheepweregrazing,butnotamantobeseen.perhapstheriverwillcarrymetolittlekay,thoughtgerda,andthenshebecamemorecheerful,andraisedherhead,andlookedatthebeautifulgreenbanks;andsotheboatsailedonforlengthshecametoalargecherryorchard,inwhichstoodasmallredhousewithstrangeredandbluewindows.ithadalsoathatchedroof,andoutsideweretwowoodensoldiers,thatpresentedarmstoherasshesailedpast.gerdacalledouttothem,forshethoughttheywerealive,butofcoursetheydidnotanswer;andastheboatdriftednearertotheshore,shesawwhattheyreallywere.thengerdacalledstilllouder,andtherecameaveryoldwomanoutofthehouse,leaningonacrutch.sheworealargehattoshadeherfromthesun,andonitwerepaintedallsortsofprettyflowers."youpoorlittlechild,"saidtheoldwoman,"howdidyoumanagetocomeallthisdistanceintothewideworldonsucharapidrollingstream?"andthentheoldwomanwalkedinthewater,seizedtheboatwithhercrutch,drewittoland,andliftedgerdaout.andgerdawasgladtofeelherselfondryground,althoughshewasratherafraidofthestrangeoldwoman."comeandtellmewhoyouare,"saidshe,"andhowcameyouhere."

thengerdatoldhereverything,whiletheoldwomanshookherhead,andsaid,"hem-hem;"andwhenshehadfinished,gerdaaskedifshehadnotseenlittlekay,andtheoldwomantoldherhehadnotpassedbythatway,butheverylikelywouldcome.soshetoldgerdanottobesorrowful,buttotastethecherriesandlookattheflowers;theywerebetterthananypicture-book,foreachofthemcouldtellastory.thenshetookgerdabythehandandledherintothelittlehouse,andtheoldwomanclosedthedoor.thewindowswereveryhigh,andasthepaneswerered,blue,andyellow,thedaylightshonethroughtheminallsortsofsingularcolors.onthetablestoodbeautifulcherries,andgerdahadpermissiontoeatasmanyasshewould.whileshewaseatingthemtheoldwomancombedoutherlongflaxenringletswithagoldencomb,andtheglossycurlshungdownoneachsideofthelittleroundpleasantface,whichlookedfreshandbloomingasarose."ihavelongbeenwishingforadearlittlemaidenlikeyou,"saidtheoldwoman,"andnowyoumuststaywithme,andseehowhappilyweshalllivetogether."andwhileshewentoncombinglittlegerda'shair,shethoughtlessandlessaboutheradoptedbrotherkay,fortheoldwomancouldconjure,althoughshewasnotawickedwitch;sheconjuredonlyalittleforherownamusement,andnow,becauseshewantedtokeepreforeshewentintothegarden,andstretchedouthercrutchtowardsalltherose-trees,beautifulthoughtheywere;andtheyimmediatelysunkintothedarkearth,sothatnoonecouldtellwheretheyhadoncestood.theoldwomanwasafraidthatiflittlegerdasawrosesshewouldthinkofthoseathome,andthenrememberlittlekay,andrunaway.thenshetookgerdaintotheflower-garden.howfragrantandbeautifulitwas!everyflowerthatcouldbethoughtofforeveryseasonoftheyearwashereinfullbloom;nopicture-bookcouldhavemorebeautifulcolors.gerdajumpedforjoy,andplayedtillthesunwentdownbehindthetallcherry-trees;thenshesleptinanelegantbedwithredsilkpillows,embroideredwithcoloredviolets;andthenshedreamedaspleasantlyasaqueenonherweddingday.thenextday,andformanydaysafter,gerdaplayedwiththeflowersinthewarmsunshine.shekneweveryflower,andyet,althoughthereweresomanyofthem,itseemedasifoneweremissing,butwhichitwasshecouldnotday,however,asshesatlookingattheoldwoman'shatwiththepaintedflowersonit,shesawthattheprettiestofthemallwasarose.theoldwomanhadforgottentotakeitfromherhatwhenshemadealltherosessinkintotheearth.butitisdifficulttokeepthethoughtstogetherineverything;onelittlemistakeupsetsallourarrangements.

"what,aretherenoroseshere?"