“Dear me, how long I have staid!” said Gerda.  “Autumn is come.  I must not rest any longer.”  And she got up to go further.

Oh, how tender and wearied her little feet were!  All around it looked so cold and raw:  the long willow-leaves were quite yellow, and the fog dripped from them like water; one leaf fell after the other:  the sloes only stood full of fruit, which set one’s teeth on edge.  Oh, how dark and comfortless it was in the dreary world!

FOURTH STORY.  The Prince and Princess

Gerda was obliged to rest herself again, when, exactly opposite to her, a large Raven came hopping over the white snow.  He had long been looking at Gerda and shaking his head; and now he said, “Caw!  Caw!” Good day!  Good day!  He could not say it better; but he felt a sympathy for the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone.  The word “alone” Gerda understood quite well, and felt how much was expressed by it; so she told the Raven her whole history, and asked if he had not seen Kay.

The Raven nodded very gravely, and said, “It may be—­it may be!”

“What, do you really think so?” cried the little girl; and she nearly squeezed the Raven to death, so much did she kiss him.

“Gently, gently,” said the Raven.  “I think I know; I think that it may be little Kay.  But now he has forgotten you for the Princess.”

“Does he live with a Princess?” asked Gerda.

“Yes—­listen,” said the Raven; “but it will be difficult for me to speak your language.  If you understand the Raven language I can tell you better.”

“No, I have not learnt it,” said Gerda; “but my grandmother understands it, and she can speak gibberish too.  I wish I had learnt it.”

“No matter,” said the Raven; “I will tell you as well as I can; however, it will be bad enough.”  And then he told all he knew.

“In the kingdom where we now are there lives a Princess, who is extraordinarily clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the whole world, and has forgotten them again—­so clever is she.  She was lately, it is said, sitting on her throne—­which is not very amusing after all—­when she began humming an old tune, and it was just, ‘Oh, why should I not be married?’ ‘That song is not without its meaning,’ said she, and so then she was determined to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how to give an answer when he was spoken to—­not one who looked only as if he were a great personage, for that is so tiresome.  She then had all the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heard her intention, all were very pleased, and said, ’We are very glad to hear it; it is the very thing we were thinking of.’  You may believe every word I say,” said the Raven; “for I have a tame sweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free, and it was she who told me all this.

“The newspapers appeared forthwith with a border of hearts and the initials of the Princess; and therein you might read that every good-looking young man was at liberty to come to the palace and speak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as showed he felt himself at home there, that one the Princess would choose for her husband.