"thepoweroftwelvemen!"saidthefinlandwoman;"thatwouldbeofverylittleuse."butshewenttoashelfandtookdownandunrolledalargeskin,onwhichwereinscribedwonderfulcharacters,andshereadtilltheperspirationrandownfromherforehead.butthereindeerbeggedsohardforlittlegerda,andgerdalookedatthefinlandwomanwithsuchbeseechingtearfuleyes,thatherowneyesbegantotwinkleagain;soshedrewthereindeerintoacorner,andwhisperedtohimwhileshelaidafreshpieceoficeonhishead,"littlekayisreallywiththesnowqueen,buthefindseverythingtheresomuchtohistasteandhisliking,thathebelievesitisthefinestplaceintheworld;butthisisbecausehehasapieceofbrokenglassinhisheart,andalittlepieceofglassinhissemustbetakenout,orhewillneverbeahumanbeingagain,andthesnowqueenwillretainherpoweroverhim."

"butcanyounotgivelittlegerdasomethingtohelphertoconquerthispower?"

"icangivehernogreaterpowerthanshehasalready,"saidthewoman;"don'tyouseehowstrongthatis?howmenandanimalsareobligedtoserveher,andhowwellshehasgotthroughtheworld,barefootedassheis.shecannotreceiveanypowerfrommegreaterthanshenowhas,whichconsistsinherownpurityandinnocenceofheart.ifshecannotherselfobtainaccesstothesnowqueen,andremovetheglassfragmentsfromlittlekay,wecandonothingtohelpher.twomilesfromherethesnowqueen'sgardenbegins;youcancarrythelittlegirlsofar,andsetherdownbythelargebushwhichstandsinthesnow,coveredwithredberries.donotstaygossiping,butcomebackhereasquicklyasyoucan."thenthefinlandwomanliftedlittlegerdauponthereindeer,andheranawaywithherasquicklyashecould.

"oh,ihaveforgottenmybootsandmymittens,"criedlittlegerda,assoonasshefeltthecuttingcold,butthereindeerdarednotstop,soheranontillhereachedthebushwiththeredberries;herehesetgerdadown,andhekissedher,andthegreatbrighttearstrickledovertheanimal'scheeks;thenheleftherandranbackasfastashecould.

therestoodpoorgerda,withoutshoes,withoutgloves,inthemidstofcold,dreary,ice-boundfinland.sheranforwardsasquicklyasshecould,whenawholeregimentofsnow-flakescameroundher;theydidnot,however,fallfromthesky,whichwasquiteclearandglitteringwiththenorthernlights.thesnow-flakesranalongtheground,andthenearertheycametoher,thelargertheyappeared.gerdarememberedhowlargeandbeautifultheylookedthroughtheburning-glass.butthesewerereallylarger,andmuchmoreterrible,fortheywerealive,andweretheguardsofthesnowqueen,andhadthestrangestshapes.somewerelikegreatporcupines,othersliketwistedserpentswiththeirheadsstretchingout,andsomefewwerelikelittlefatbearswiththeirhairbristled;butallweredazzlinglywhite,andallwerelivingsnow-flakes.thenlittlegerdarepeatedthelord'sprayer,andthecoldwassogreatthatshecouldseeherownbreathcomeoutofhermouthlikesteamassheutteredthewords.thesteamappearedtoincrease,asshecontinuedherprayer,tillittooktheshapeoflittleangelswhogrewlargerthemomenttheytouchedtheearth.theyallworehelmetsontheirheads,andcarriedspearsandshields.theirnumbercontinuedtoincreasemoreandmore;andbythetimegerdahadfinishedherprayers,awholelegionstoodroundher.theythrusttheirspearsintotheterriblesnow-flakes,sothattheyshiveredintoahundredpieces,andlittlegerdacouldgoforwardwithcourageandsafety.theangelsstrokedherhandsandfeet,sothatshefeltthecoldless,andshehastenedontothesnowqueen'scastle.

butnowwemustseewhatkayisdoing.intruthhethoughtnotoflittlegerda,andneversupposedshecouldbestandinginthefrontofthepalace.

seventhstory

ofthepalaceofthesnowqueen

andwhathappenedthereatlast

thewallsofthepalacewereformedofdriftedsnow,andthewindowsanddoorsofthecuttingwinds.thereweremorethanahundredroomsinit,allasiftheyhadbeenformedwithsnowblowntogether.thelargestofthemextendedforseveralmiles;theywerealllightedupbythevividlightoftheaurora,andtheyweresolargeandempty,soicycoldandglittering!