golden livery on the staircase, and the great halls lighted up, they became
quite confused. And when they stood before the throne on which the
princess sat, they could do nothing but repeat the last words she had said;
and she had no particular wish to hear her own words over again. It was just
as if they had all taken something to make them sleepy while they were in
the palace, for they did not recover themselves nor speak till they got back
again into the street. There was quite a long line of them reaching from the
town-gate to the palace. I went myself to see them,” said the crow. “They
were hungry and thirsty, for at the palace they did not get even a glass of
water. Some of the wisest had taken a few slices of bread and butter with
them, but they did not share it with their neighbors; they thought if they
went in to the princess looking hungry, there would be a better chance for
themselves.”
“But Kay! tell me about little Kay!” said Gerda, “was he amongst the
crowd?”
“Stop a bit, we are just coming to him. It was on the third day, there came
marching cheerfully along to the palace a little personage, without horses or
carriage, his eyes sparkling like yours; he had beautiful long hair, but his
clothes were very poor.”
“That was Kay!” said Gerda joyfully. “Oh, then I have found him;” and
she clapped her hands.
“He had a little knapsack on his back,” added the crow.
“No, it must have been his sledge,” said Gerda; “for he went away with
it.”
“It may have been so,” said the crow; “I did not look at it very closely.
But I know from my tame sweetheart that he passed through the palace
gates, saw the guards in their silver uniform, and the servants in their
liveries of gold on the stairs, but he was not in the least embarrassed. ‘It
must be very tiresome to stand on the stairs,’ he said. ‘I prefer to go in.’ The
rooms were blazing with light. Councillors and ambassadors walked about
with bare feet, carrying golden vessels; it was enough to make any one feel
