The Complete Fairy Tales & Other Stories
By Hans Christian Andersen - online book

Oxford Complete Illustrated Edition all his stories written between 1835 and 1872.

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THE SNOW QUEEN                       281
doorway napping her wings ; she did not go with them, for she suffered from headache, that had come on since she had obtained a fixed position and was allowed to eat too much. The coach was lined with sugar-biscuits, and in the seat there were gingerbread-nuts and fruit.
1 Farewell, farewell ! ' cried the Prince and Princess ; and little Gerda wept, and the Crow wept. So they went on for the first three miles ; and then the Crow said good-bye, and that was the heaviest parting of all. The Crow flew up on a tree, and beat his black wings as long as he could see the coach, which glittered like the bright sunshine.
FIFTH STORY
The Little Robber Girl
They drove on through the thick forest, but the coach gleamed like a torch, dazzling the robbers' eyes, so that they could not bear it.
1 That is gold ! that is gold ! ' cried they, and rushed forward, and seized the horses, killed the postilions, the coachman, and the footmen, and then pulled little Gerda out of the carriage.
' She is fat—she is pretty—she is fed with nut-kernels ! ' said the old robber woman, who had a very long stiff beard, and shaggy eyebrows that hung down over her eyes. ' She 's as good as a little pet lamb ; how I shall relish her!'
And she drew out her shining knife, that gleamed in a horrible way.
* Oh ! ' screamed the old woman at the same moment; for her own daughter who hung at her back bit her ear in a very naughty and spiteful manner. ' You ugly brat !' screamed the old woman ; and she had not time to kill Gerda.
' She shall play with me ! ' said the little robber girl. 1 She shall give me her muff and her pretty dress, and sleep with me in my bed ! '
And then the girl gave another bite, so that the woman jumped high up, and turned right round, and all the robbers laughed, and said,
1 Look how she dances with her calf.'