Gerda was delighted to be on dry land again, but she was a little bit frightened of the strange old woman.

‘Come, tell me who you are, and how you got here,’ said she.

When Gerda had told her the whole story and asked her if she had seen Kay, the woman said she had not seen him, but that she expected him.  Gerda must not be sad, she was to come and taste her cherries and see her flowers, which were more beautiful than any picture-book; each one had a story to tell.  Then she took Gerda by the hand, they went into the little house, and the old woman locked the door.

The windows were very high up, and they were red, blue, and yellow; they threw a very curious light into the room.  On the table were quantities of the most delicious cherries, of which Gerda had leave to eat as many as ever she liked.  While she was eating, the old woman combed her hair with a golden comb, so that the hair curled, and shone like gold round the pretty little face, which was as sweet as a rose.

‘I have long wanted a little girl like you!’ said the old woman.  ’You will see how well we shall get on together.’  While she combed her hair Gerda had forgotten all about Kay, for the old woman was learned in the magic art; but she was not a bad witch, she only cast spells over people for a little amusement, and she wanted to keep Gerda.  She therefore went into the garden and waved her hooked stick over all the rose-bushes, and however beautifully they were flowering, all sank down into the rich black earth without leaving a trace behind them.  The old woman was afraid that if Gerda saw the roses she would be reminded of Kay, and would want to run away.  Then she took Gerda into the flower garden.  What a delicious scent there was! and every imaginable flower for every season was in that lovely garden; no picture-book could be brighter or more beautiful.  Gerda jumped for joy and played till the sun went down behind the tall cherry trees.  Then she was put into a lovely bed with rose-coloured silken coverings stuffed with violets; she slept and dreamt as lovely dreams as any queen on her wedding day.

The next day she played with the flowers in the garden again—­and many days passed in the same way.  Gerda knew every flower, but however many there were, she always thought there was one missing, but which it was she did not know.

One day she was sitting looking at the old woman’s sun hat with its painted flowers, and the very prettiest one of them all was a rose.  The old woman had forgotten her hat when she charmed the others away.  This is the consequence of being absent-minded.

‘What!’ said Gerda, ‘are there no roses here?’ and she sprang in among the flower-beds and sought, but in vain!  Her hot tears fell on the very places where the roses used to be; when the warm drops moistened the earth the rose-trees shot up again, just as full of bloom as when they sank.  Gerda embraced the roses and kissed them, and then she thought of the lovely roses at home, and this brought the thought of little Kay.