Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/206

174 plaining and wailing most pitifully, but it is all humbug! But tell me now how you fared and how you got hold of him ! "

And Gerda and Kay both told her all that had happened.

"And snipp-snapp-snurr-bassellurr ! " said the robber girl, taking them both by the hand and promising them that should she ever pass through their town, she would be sure to pay them a visit, and then she rode oft into the wide world. But Kay and Gerda walked on hand in hand, and as they proceeded the spring became more and more lovely with flowers and green foliage; the church bells were ringing and they recognized the lofty steeple and the big town — it was the one in which they lived. They entered the town and found their way to their grandmother's door; they went up the stairs, and into the parlor, where everything was in the same place as before. The clock said, "Tick! tick!" and the hands moved on as usual; but as they passed in at the door they discovered that they had become grown-up people. The roses on the roof could be seen in full bloom through the open windows, and there were the little foot- stools; Kay and Gerda sat down, holding each other by the hand; they had forgotten the cold, empty splendor of the Snow Queen's castle as if it were a distressing dream of the past.

Grandmother was sitting in the bright sunshine, reading aloud from the Bible: "Except ye become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God."

And Kay and Gerda looked into each other's eyes, and all at once they understood the old hymn:

The roses grow in the valley.

Where the Christ-Child we 'shall see!

There they both sat, grown up, vet children in heart, and it was summer — the warm, blessed summer.