‘What are you doing, Kay?’ cried the little girl.  When he saw her alarm, he broke off another rose, and then ran in by his own window, and left dear little Gerda alone.

When she next got out the picture book he said it was only fit for babies in long clothes.  When his grandmother told them stories he always had a but—­, and if he could manage it, he liked to get behind her chair, put on her spectacles and imitate her.  He did it very well and people laughed at him.  He was soon able to imitate every one in the street; he could make fun of all their peculiarities and failings.  ’He will turn out a clever fellow,’ said people.  But it was all that bit of glass in his heart, that bit of glass in his eye, and it made him tease little Gerda who was so devoted to him.  He played quite different games now; he seemed to have grown older.  One winter’s day, when the snow was falling fast, he brought in a big magnifying glass; he held out the tail of his blue coat, and let the snow flakes fall upon it.

‘Now look through the glass, Gerda!’ he said; every snowflake was magnified, and looked like a lovely flower, or a sharply pointed star.

‘Do you see how cleverly they are made?’ said Kay.  ’Much more interesting than looking at real flowers.  And there is not a single flaw in them; they are perfect, if only they would not melt.’

Shortly after, he appeared in his thick gloves, with his sledge on his back.  He shouted right into Gerda’s ear, ’I have got leave to drive in the big square where the other boys play!’ and away he went.

In the big square the bolder boys used to tie their little sledges to the farm carts and go a long way in this fashion.  They had no end of fun over it.  Just in the middle of their games a big sledge came along; it was painted white, and the occupant wore a white fur coat and cap.  The sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay quickly tied his sledge on behind.  Then off they went, faster, and faster, into the next street.  The driver turned round and nodded to Kay in the most friendly way, just as if they knew each other.  Every time Kay wanted to loose his sledge the person nodded again, and Kay stayed where he was, and they drove right out through the town gates.  Then the snow began to fall so heavily that the little boy could not see a hand before him as they rushed along.  He undid the cords and tried to get away from the big sledge, but it was no use, his little sledge stuck fast, and on they rushed, faster than the wind.  He shouted aloud, but nobody heard him, and the sledge tore on through the snow-drifts.  Every now and then it gave a bound, as if they were jumping over hedges and ditches.  He was very frightened, and he wanted to say his prayers, but he could only remember the multiplication tables.

The snow-flakes grew bigger and bigger, till at last they looked like big white chickens.  All at once they sprang on one side, the big sledge stopped and the person who drove got up, coat and cap smothered in snow.  It was a tall and upright lady all shining white, the Snow Queen herself.