Little Kay was quite blue with cold, indeed almost black, but he did not
feel it; for the Snow Queen had kissed away the icy shiverings, and his
heart was already a lump of ice. He dragged some sharp, flat pieces of ice to
and fro, and placed them together in all kinds of positions, as if he wished
to make something out of them; just as we try to form various figures with
little tablets of wood which we call “a Chinese puzzle.” Kay’s fingers were
very artistic; it was the icy game of reason at which he played, and in his
eyes the figures were very remarkable, and of the highest importance; this
opinion was owing to the piece of glass still sticking in his eye. He
composed many complete figures, forming different words, but there was
one word he never could manage to form, although he wished it very much.
It was the word “Eternity.” The Snow Queen had said to him, “When you
can find out this, you shall be your own master, and I will give you the
whole world and a new pair of skates.” But he could not accomplish it.
“Now I must hasten away to warmer countries,” said the Snow Queen. “I
will go and look into the black craters of the tops of the burning mountains,
Etna and Vesuvius, as they are called,-I shall make them look white, which
will be good for them, and for the lemons and the grapes.” And away flew
the Snow Queen, leaving little Kay quite alone in the great hall which was
so many miles in length; so he sat and looked at his pieces of ice, and was
thinking so deeply, and sat so still, that any one might have supposed he
was frozen.
Just at this moment it happened that little Gerda came through the great
door of the castle. Cutting winds were raging around her, but she offered up
a prayer and the winds sank down as if they were going to sleep; and she
went on till she came to the large empty hall, and caught sight of Kay; she
knew him directly; she flew to him and threw her arms round his neck, and
held him fast, while she exclaimed, “Kay, dear little Kay, I have found you
at last.”
But he sat quite still, stiff and cold.
Then little Gerda wept hot tears, which fell on his breast, and penetrated
into his heart, and thawed the lump of ice, and washed away the little piece
