Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/131

 HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES 'Oh, oh!' cried the woman, for at the very moment she had lifted her dagger to stab Gerda, her own wild and wilful daughter jumped upon her back and bit her ear violently. 'You naughty child!' said the mother.

'She shall play with me,' said the little robber-maiden, 'she shall give me her muff and her pretty frock, and sleep with me in my bed!' And then she bit her mother again, till the robber-wife sprang up and shrieked with pain, whilst the robbers all laughed, saying, 'Look at her playing with her young one!'

'I will get into the carriage,' and so spoiled and wayward was the little robber-maiden that she always had her own way, and she and Gerda sat together in the carriage, and drove over stock and stone farther and farther into the wood. The little robber-maiden was about as tall as Gerda, but much stronger; she had broad shoulders, and a very dark skin; her eyes were quite black, and had an expression almost melancholy. She put her arm round Gerda's waist, and said, 'She shall not kill thee so long as I love thee! Art thou not a princess?'

'No!' said Gerda; and then she told her all that had happened to her, and how much she loved little Kay.

The robber-maiden looked earnestly in her face, shook her head, and said, 'She shall not kill thee even if I do quarrel with thee; then, indeed, I would rather do it myself!' And she dried Gerda's tears, and put both her hands into the pretty muff that was so soft and warm.

The carriage at last stopped in the middle of the courtyard of the robbers' castle. This castle was half-ruined; crows and ravens flew out of the openings, and some fearfully large bull-dogs, looking as if they could devour a man in a moment, jumped round the carriage; they did not bark, for that was forbidden. 100