howlittlegerda'sheartbeatwithanxietyandlonging;itwasjustasifsheweregoingtodosomethingwrong,andyetsheonlywantedtoknowwherelittlekaywas."itmustbehe,"shethought,"withthosecleareyes,andthatlonghair."shecouldfancyshesawhimsmilingather,asheusedtoathome,whentheysatamongtheroses.hewouldcertainlybegladtoseeher,andtohearwhatalongdistanceshehadcomeforhissake,andtoknowhowsorrytheyhadbeenathomebecausehedidnotcomeback.ohwhatjoyandyetfearshefelt!theywerenowonthestairs,andinasmallclosetatthetopalampwasburning.inthemiddleofthefloorstoodthetamecrow,turningherheadfromsidetoside,andgazingatgerda,whocurtseyedashergrandmotherhadtaughthertodo.

"mybetrothedhasspokensoveryhighlyofyou,mylittlelady,"saidthetamecrow,"yourlife-history,vita,asitmaybecalled,isverytouching.ifyouwilltakethelampiwillwalkbeforeyou.wewillgostraightalongthisway,thenweshallmeetnoone."

"itseemstomeasifsomebodywerebehindus,"saidgerda,assomethingrushedbyherlikeashadowonthewall,andthenhorseswithflyingmanesandthinlegs,hunters,ladiesandgentlemenonhorseback,glidedbyher,likeshadowsonthewall.

"theyareonlydreams,"saidthecrow,"theyarecomingtofetchthethoughtsofthegreatpeopleouthunting."

"allthebetter,forweshallbeabletolookatthemintheirbedsmoresafely.ihopethatwhenyourisetohonorandfavor,youwillshowagratefulheart."

"youmaybequitesureofthat,"saidthecrowfromtheforest.

theynowcameintothefirsthall,thewallsofwhichwerehungwithrose-coloredsatin,embroideredwithartificialflowers.herethedreamsagainflittedbythembutsoquicklythatgerdacouldnotdistinguishtheroyalpersons.eachhallappearedmoresplendidthanthelast,itwasenoughttobewilderanyone.atlengththeyreachedabedroom.theceilingwaslikeagreatpalm-tree,withglassleavesofthemostcostlycrystal,andoverthecentreofthefloortwobeds,eachresemblingalily,hungfromastemofgold.one,inwhichtheprincesslay,waswhite,theotherwasred;andinthisgerdahadtoseekforlittlekay.shepushedoneoftheredleavesaside,andsawalittlebrownneck.oh,thatmustbekay!shecalledhisnameoutquiteloud,andheldthelampoverhim.thedreamsrushedbackintotheroomonhorseback.hewoke,andturnedhisheadround,itwasnotlittlekay!theprincewasonlylikehimintheneck,stillhewasyoungandpretty.thentheprincesspeepedoutofherwhite-lilybed,andaskedwhatwasthematter.thenlittlegerdaweptandtoldherstory,andallthatthecrowshaddonetohelpher.

"youpoorchild,"saidtheprinceandprincess;thentheypraisedthecrows,andsaidtheywerenotangryforwhattheyhaddone,butthatitmustnothappenagain,andthistimetheyshouldberewarded.

"wouldyouliketohaveyourfreedom?"askedtheprincess,"orwouldyouprefertoberaisedtothepositionofcourtcrows,withallthatisleftinthekitchenforyourselves?"

thenboththecrowsbowed,andbeggedtohaveafixedappointment,fortheythoughtoftheiroldage,andsaiditwouldbesocomfortabletofeelthattheyhadprovisionfortheirolddays,astheycalleddthentheprincegotoutofhisbed,andgaveituptogerda,-hecoulddonomore;andshelaydown.shefoldedherlittlehands,andthought,"howgoodeveryoneistome,menandanimalstoo;"thensheclosedhereyesandfellintoasweetsleep.allthedreamscameflyingbackagaintoher,andtheylookedlikeangels,andoneofthemdrewalittlesledge,onwhichsatkay,andnoddedtoher.butallthiswasonlyadream,andvanishedassoonassheawoke.

thefollowingdayshewasdressedfromheadtofootinsilkandvelvet,andtheyinvitedhertostayatthepalaceforafewdays,andenjoyherself,butsheonlybeggedforapairofboots,andalittlecarriage,andahorsetodrawit,sothatshemightgointothewideworldtoseekforkay.andsheobtained,notonlyboots,butalsoamuff,andshewasneatlydressed;andwhenshewasreadytogo,there,atthedoor,shefoundacoachmadeofpuregold,withthecoat-of-armsoftheprinceandprincessshininguponitlikeastar,andthecoachman,footman,andoutridersallwearinggoldencrownsontheirheads.theprinceandprincessthemselveshelpedherintothecoach,andwishedhersuccess.theforestcrow,whowasnowmarried,accompaniedherforthefirstthreemiles;hesatbygerda'sside,ashecouldnotbearridingbackwards.thetamecrowstoodinthedoor-wayflappingherwings.shecouldnotgowiththem,becauseshehadbeensufferingfromheadacheeversincethenewappointment,nodoubtfromeatingtoomuch.thecoachwaswellstoredwithsweetcakes,andundertheseatwerefruitandgingerbreadnuts."farewell,farewell,"criedtheprinceandprincess,andlittlegerdawept,andthecrowwept;andthen,afterafewmiles,thecrowalsosaid"farewell,"andthiswasthesaddestparting.however,heflewtoatree,andstoodflappinghisblackwingsaslongashecouldseethecoach,whichglitteredinthebrightsunshine.

fifthstory

littlerobber-girl

thecoachdroveonthroughathickforest,whereitlightedupthewaylikeatorch,anddazzledtheeyesofsomerobbers,whocouldnotbeartoletitpassthemunmolested.

"itisgold!