“Why should I not be married, oh why?”

“Why not indeed?” said she.  And she made up her mind to marry, if she could find a husband who had an answer ready when a question was put to him.  She called all the court ladies together, and when they heard what she wanted they were delighted.

’"I like that now,” they said.  “I was thinking the same thing myself the other day.”

‘Every word I say is true,’ said the crow, ’for I have a tame sweetheart who goes about the palace whenever she likes.  She told me the whole story.’

Of course his sweetheart was a crow, for ’birds of a feather flock together,’ and one crow always chooses another.  The newspapers all came out immediately with borders of hearts and the Princess’s initials.  They gave notice that any young man who was handsome enough might go up to the Palace to speak to the Princess.  The one who spoke as if he were quite at home, and spoke well, would be chosen by the Princess as her husband.  Yes, yes, you may believe me, it’s as true as I sit here,’ said the crow.  ’The people came crowding in; there was such running, and crushing, but no one was fortunate enough to be chosen, either on the first day, or on the second.  They could all of them talk well enough in the street, but when they entered the castle gates, and saw the guard in silver uniforms, and when they went up the stairs through rows of lackeys in gold embroidered liveries, their courage forsook them.  When they reached the brilliantly lighted reception-rooms, and stood in front of the throne where the Princess was seated, they could think of nothing to say, they only echoed her last words, and of course that was not what she wanted.

’It was just as if they had all taken some kind of sleeping-powder, which made them lethargic; they did not recover themselves until they got out into the street again, and then they had plenty to say.  There was quite a long line of them, reaching from the town gates up to the Palace.

‘I went to see them myself,’ said the crow.  ’They were hungry and thirsty, but they got nothing at the Palace, not even as much as a glass of tepid water.  Some of the wise ones had taken sandwiches with them, but they did not share them with their neighbours; they thought if the others went in to the Princess looking hungry, that there would be more chance for themselves.’

‘But Kay, little Kay!’ asked Gerda; ’when did he come? was he amongst the crowd?’

’Give me time, give me time! we are just coming to him.  It was on the third day that a little personage came marching cheerfully along, without either carriage or horse.  His eyes sparkled like yours, and he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were very shabby.’

‘Oh, that was Kay!’ said Gerda gleefully; ‘then I have found him!’ and she clapped her hands.

‘He had a little knapsack on his back!’ said the crow.

’No, it must have been his sledge; he had it with him when he went away!’ said Gerda.