Oh my, her little feet were so tender and sore,38 and everything around her was so cold and raw. The long leaves of the willow tree had turned completely yellow, and drops of mist were rolling down them as one leaf after another fell to the ground. Only the blackthorn bush still had berries on it, and they were so sour that they made your lips pucker up. How gray and dreary everything looked in the wide world.
FOURTH STORY: THE PRINCE AND THE PRINCESS
Gerda had to stop and rest, and a big crow came hopping across the snow39 right near where she was sitting. He stood there for a long time, watching her and cocking his head from time to time. Finally he said: “Caw! Caw! Good caw-dy day!” That was the best he could do. He wanted to be kind to the little girl and asked her what she was doing all alone in the wide world.40 Gerda understood what he meant by “alone,” and she knew the word’s meaning firsthand. She told the crow the entire story of her life, and she asked if he had seen Kai.
The crow nodded thoughtfully and replied, “It’s possible, entirely possible!”
“What! Have you really seen him?” the little girl cried, and she nearly smothered the crow with kisses.
“Take it easy! Take it easy!” said the crow. “It’s possible that I’ve seen Kai. But by now he has probably forgotten you because of the princess.”
“Is he living with a princess?” Gerda asked.
“Yes, but pay attention!” the crow said. “I have a hard time with your language. If you understood crow speech, it would be much easier to explain!”
“I never learned that language!” Gerda said. “But my grandmother knows it, and she also knows P-speech. I wish I had learned it!”
“Never mind!” said the crow. “I’ll tell you all about it, as best I can, but I can’t promise that it will be any good.” And then he told her what he knew.
“The kingdom in which we are now living is ruled by a princess so uncommonly clever that she has read all the newspapers in the world and then forgotten every word printed in them—that’s how clever she is.41 The other day, when she was sitting on her throne—and that’s not nearly as amusing as people think—she started humming an old tune that went like this: ‘Why, oh why, should I not marry?’
“‘There’s an idea,’ she said to herself, and she made up her mind to marry as soon as she could find a husband who would know how to respond when spoken to. She was not interested in someone who would just stand around looking dignified, because that would be really dull. And so she summoned her ladies-in-waiting, and, when they heard what she had in mind, they were delighted. ‘Oh, we like that idea!’ they said. ‘We had the same idea just the other day!’ ”
“Believe me,” the crow said, “every word I report is true. I have a tame sweetheart who has the run of the castle, and she gave me a full report.” His sweetheart was, of course, also a crow, for birds of a feather flock together.
The next day’s newspapers came out with a border of hearts42 and the princess’s initials right by them. Any attractive young man, it said in the paper, was welcome to visit the castle and speak with the princess. The princess was planning to marry the man who seemed most at home in the castle and who spoke the most eloquently.43 “Yes, indeed,” the crow said. “Believe me, it’s all as true as the fact that I’m sitting here. Young men flocked to the castle, and there was a lot of pushing and shoving, but neither on the first day nor on the second was anyone chosen. No one had trouble speaking well out on the street. The moment the men entered the gates of the castle and caught sight of the royal guards wearing silver and the servants wearing gold and then reached the brightly lit halls at the top of the stairs, they were struck dumb. Facing the princess who was seated on her throne, they couldn’t think of a thing to say and just repeated the last word she had uttered, which she did not particularly care to hear again. It was as if everyone in the room had swallowed snuff and dozed off. As soon as they were back outside, they had no trouble talking. People were lined up all the way from the town gates to the castle. I saw them myself!” the crow said. “They were growing hungry and thirsty, but no one from the castle brought so much as a glass of lukewarm water. Some of the more clever fellows had packed bread and cheese,44 but they refused to share what they had with anyone. Here’s what they thought: ‘If that fellow looks hungry, then the princess won’t choose him!’ ”
EDMUND DULAC
The clever princess sits on the throne with crumpled newspapers at her feet—all the newspapers in the world that she has read and forgotten. Like the Snow Queen, she wears clothing that sparkles and glitters.
“But what about Kai, little Kai!” Gerda interrupted. “When did he get there? Was he there in the crowd?”
“Patience! Patience! I’m just getting to him! On the third day, a little fellow, with neither horse nor carriage, marched boldly up to the castle. His eyes sparkled like yours do, and he had lovely long hair, but his clothes were in tatters.”
“That must have been Kai!” Gerda shouted, and she clapped her hands for joy. “I’ve found him at last!”
“He was carrying a little bundle on his back,” the crow told her.
“No, that must have been his sled,” Gerda said. “He had it with him when he left.”
“You could be right,” said the crow. “I didn’t look all that closely! But I do know from my tame sweetheart that when he marched through the palace gates and saw the royal guards dressed in silver and when he climbed the stairs and saw the servants dressed in gold, he wasn’t the least bit daunted. He just nodded to them and said: ‘It must be terribly dull to stand on the steps all day long. I think I’d rather go inside.’ The halls were brightly lit. Ministers of state and various excellencies were walking about barefoot, carrying golden trays. It was enough to make anyone nervous! Kai’s boots began to creak loudly,45 but he wasn’t at all afraid!”
“Then it had to be Kai,” said Gerda. “I know that he was wearing new boots. I heard them creak in Grandmother’s parlor.”
“Oh, they creaked all right!” said the crow, “But he was bold and walked right up to the princess, who was sitting on a pearl that was as big as a spinning wheel.46 All of the ladiesin-waiting with their servant girls, and the servant girls with their servant girls, and all of the chamberlains, with their servants and their servants’ pages, were standing at attention in the hall. The closer they were to the door, the prouder they looked. The page to the servants’ servants, who never wears anything but slippers, looked so swollen with pride as he stood at the doorway that you hardly dared look at him.”
“That must have been terrible,” Gerda said. “And yet Kai still won the princess!”
“If I weren’t a crow, I would have won her myself, even though I’m already betrothed to another. They say he spoke as well as I speak (when I use crow speech). That’s what my tame sweetheart told me. He was dashing and charming. He wasn’t there to court the princess but to listen to her wise words. He liked what he heard, and she took a shine to him too!”
“Then it had to be Kai,” Gerda said. “He is so smart that he can do numbers in his head—even fractions! Oh, you must take me to the castle!”
“That’s easier said than done,” the crow replied. “How will we manage it? I’ll talk it over with my tame sweetheart. She can probably give us some advice, but I’d better warn you that a little girl like you will never be allowed to walk right into the castle.”
“Yes, I will!” said Gerda. “When Kai realizes that I’m here, he’ll come right out to get me!”
“Wait for me over there by the fence!” the crow said, and he bobbed his head and flew away.
The crow did not return until after dark. “Caw! Caw!” he said. “My sweetheart sends you warm greetings, and here’s a crust of bread for you. They have all they need in the kitchen, where she found it, and you must be hungry! They’ll never let you into the castle, especially with bare feet. The guardsmen in silver and the footmen in gold will simply not allow it. But don’t cry, we’ll find a way to s
muggle you in. My sweetheart happens to know about a little back staircase leading up to the bedroom, and she also knows where they keep the key.”
Off the two went into the garden, down the tree-lined promenade where the leaves were falling, one by one. After the lights went out in the castle, one by one, the crow took Gerda around to the back door, which was standing ajar.
Gerda’s heart was pounding with fear and longing!47 She felt as if she were about to do something wrong, but all she wanted to do was make sure that Kai was there. Yes, Kai had to be there, she thought, as she recalled his wise eyes and long hair. She had vivid memories of the smile on his face when they were sitting at home beneath the roses. She was sure that he would be happy to see her. And he would be glad to hear just how far she had traveled to find him and how sad everyone at home had been when he hadn’t returned. Gerda was frightened but she also felt lighthearted.
HARRY CLARKE
Kai is seated at a table that contains three volumes with the titles: “Andersen’s Stories for the Household, illustrated by Harry Clarke,” “The Rule of Three,” and “The Vulgar Fraction.” Above his head can be seen various numbers in decorative shapes.
Now they were on the staircase. A little lamp on a cabinet was burning brightly. There stood the tame crow, right in the middle of the room, turning her head every which way as she looked at Gerda, who curtsied just as Grandmother had taught her.
“My fiancé has spoken highly of you, my dear young lady,” the tame crow said. “Your life story, your vita, as we say, is also quite moving! Please take the lamp, and I’ll lead the way. We’ll take the most direct route so that we won’t run into anyone!”
“It feels like someone is on the stairs right behind us!” Gerda said, and something rushed past her like shadows on a wall:48 horses with flowing manes and slender legs, gamekeepers, lords and ladies on horseback.
“Those are nothing but dreams!” the crow said. “They come and take the thoughts of their royal highnesses out hunting, which is good because then you can get a better look at them in their beds. I trust that, when you rise to a position of honor and nobility, you will show heartfelt gratitude!”
“That’s no way to talk!” said the crow from the forest.
They entered the first room, which had walls covered with rose-colored satin and painted flowers. The dream shadows rushed by again, but so quickly that Gerda did not have a chance to see the lords and ladies. Each room was more magnificent than the next—almost overwhelming—and then they reached the bedroom. The ceiling in there looked like a huge palm tree, with leaves of glass, priceless glass. In the middle of the room two beds that looked just like lilies49 were hanging from a massive stalk of gold. One was white, and the princess was sleeping in it. The other one was red, and Gerda hoped to find Kai in it. She bent back one of the red leaves and saw the nape of a brown neck. Oh, it had to be Kai! She called out his name and held the lamp near his face, and the dreams galloped back into the room. He awoke, turned his head, and—it was not Kai after all.
The prince’s neck may have looked like Kai’s, but nothing else about him did. Still, he was young and handsome. The princess peeked out from the white lily bed and asked what had happened. Little Gerda started crying. She told them the entire story and described what the crows had done for her.
“You poor dear!” the prince and the princess said. They praised the crows and assured them that they were not at all angry, but that they should never do what they had done again. This time, however, they would receive a reward.
“Would you like your freedom?” the princess asked. “Or would you rather have lifetime appointments as court crows, with the right to scraps from the kitchen floor?”
Both crows bowed deeply and asked to have permanent positions, for they were thinking about the future and how important it was to have something for “our golden years,” as they called them.
The prince climbed out of his bed and let Gerda sleep in it. It was all he could do for her. Gerda clasped her little hands together and thought: “How nice people and animals can be.” Then she closed her eyes and slept peacefully. All the dreams came flying back in again, and they looked just like God’s angels. They were pulling a little sled on which Kai was riding. He nodded in her direction, but it was just a dream, and when Gerda awoke, he had vanished.
The next day Gerda was dressed from head to toe in silk and velvet. She had been invited to stay at the castle and to live there in luxury, but instead she asked for a little carriage, a horse, and a pair of boots. That way she could go back into the wide world and look for Kai.
Gerda was given a pair of boots and also a fur muff.50 She was dressed exquisitely, and just as she was about to leave, a coach covered in pure gold drew up to the door. The coat of arms belonging to the prince and the princess glittered on it like a star. The driver, the footmen, and the postilions—yes, there were even postilions—were wearing crowns made of gold. The prince and princess themselves helped Gerda climb into the carriage and wished her good luck. The crow from the forest, who was now married, traveled with her for the first three miles. He sat right next to Gerda, for it would have made him ill to ride backward. The other crow stood at the gate and flapped her wings. She could not ride in the carriage because she had been suffering constant headaches from eating too much in her new position. The carriage was lined on the inside with sugar pastries, and on the seats were plates piled high with fruit and gingerbread.
“Farewell! Farewell!” the prince and the princess called out. Gerda was weeping, and the crow was shedding tears as well. The two sobbed for the first couple of miles, then the crow also had to bid her farewell, and that was the hardest separation of all. He flew up into a tree and continued flapping his black wings until the carriage, which was sparkling like bright sunshine, disappeared.
FIFTH STORY:
THE LITTLE ROBBER GIRL
They rode through a dark forest, and Gerda’s carriage was like a torch. It shone so brightly that it hurt the robbers’ eyes until they could stand it no longer.
“It’s gold! It’s gold!” they shouted, and they sped forward, seized the horses, and killed the driver, the postilions, and the footmen. They dragged Gerda from the carriage.
“How plump and tender she looks, just as if she’d been fattened up on pecans!” shouted an old robber hag,51 who sported a long, bristly beard and brows that hung down over her eyes. “She’ll be as tasty as a fat little lamb! What a dainty dish she will make!” And then she pulled out a shiny knife, which had a dreadful glint to it.
EDMUND DULAC
The brightly lit carriage is an alluring target for the trio of robbers perched on the ledge, along with the two others hidden behind trees. The dark tangle of branches and the size of the menacing robbers make the coach look all the more vulnerable.
HARRY CLARKE
“She is fat—she is pretty—she is fed with nut kernels!” reads the caption to an image that shows Gerda surrounded by robbers who seem dressed more for the stage than for pillaging. Surrounded by open blades, Gerda also has birds above her and flowers at her feet. Her elaborate costume and headdress draw the viewer’s attention, as does the gleam of the coach on the horizon.
“Ouch!” the old hag suddenly howled. She had been bitten on the ear by her own daughter, who was riding on her back and looked delightfully wild and reckless.
“You nasty little brat!” her mother said, and that kept her from chopping Gerda to pieces.
“I want her to play with me!”52 the little robber girl said. “She will have to give me her muff and that beautiful dress she’s wearing. And she’s going to sleep next to me!” She bit down again so hard that the robber hag hopped up and down and spun around. The robbers all started laughing and said, “Look how she’s dancing with her little brat.”
“I’m going to ride in the carriage,” the little robber girl said, and ride she did, because she was so headstrong and spoiled that she always got her way. She and Gerda climbed into
the carriage, and the two drove over stumps and brambles, deep into the forest. The little robber girl was no taller than Gerda, but she was stronger, with broad shoulders and dark skin. Her eyes were coal-black, and they had a sad expression. She put her arms around Gerda and said, “I won’t let them chop you up into pieces as long as we stay on good terms. You must be a princess.”
“No,” Gerda said, and she told the robber girl about everything that had happened to her and about how fond she was of Kai.
The robber girl gave her a solemn look, nodded in her direction, and said, “Even if I do get angry with you, I won’t let them chop you to pieces because I’d rather do it myself!” Then she dried Gerda’s eyes and put both her hands inside the beautiful muff, which was soft and warm.
When the carriage came to a stop, they found themselves in the courtyard of the robbers’ castle. It had a long crack that ran from the very top to the bottom. Ravens and crows could be seen flying in and out of the holes in its walls, and bulldogs—so large that they looked as if they could devour a person in one bite—were leaping high up into the air. But the dogs did not bark at all, for that was forbidden.
A big fire was burning on the stone floor in the middle of a cavernous, soot-stained room. Smoke drifted up to the rafters and tried to find a way out. A large cauldron of soup was boiling,53 and rabbits and hares were roasting on spits.
“Tonight you will sleep here with me and with all my little animals,” the robber girl said. They ate and drank, and then went over to a corner strewn with straw and blankets. Above their heads, nearly a hundred doves were roosting on pegs and rafters. They appeared to be asleep, but they stirred just a bit when the little girls approached. “They are all mine!” the little robber girl said as she grabbed hold of the one nearest to her, holding it by the legs and shaking it until it flapped its wings. “Kiss it!” she shouted,54 and the bird fluttered in Gerda’s face.
The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen Page 7