“I always sleep with the knife,” said the little robber-maiden: “there is no knowing what may happen. But tell me now, once more, all about little Kay; and why you have started off in the wide world alone.” And Gerda related all, from the very beginning. The little robber-maiden wound her arm round Gerda’s neck, held the knife in the other hand, and snored so loud that everybody could hear her. But Gerda could not close her eyes, not knowing whether she was to live or die. The robbers sat round the fire, and the old robber-woman jumped about so, that it was dreadful for Gerda to see her.
Then the wood-pigeons said, “Coo! coo! we have seen little Kay! A white hen carries his sledge; he himself sat in the carriage of the Snow-Queen, which passed right over the forest as we lay in our nests. She blew upon us young ones, and all died except we two. Coo! coo!”
“What is that you say up there?” cried little Gerda. “Where did the Snow-Queen go to? Do you know anything about it?”
“She is no doubt gone to Lapland; for there are always snow and ice there. Only ask the Reindeer, who is tethered here.”
“Aye, ice and snow indeed! There it is glorious and beautiful!” said the Reindeer. “One can spring about in the large, shining valleys! The Snow-Queen has her summer-tent there; but her fixed abode is high up towards the North Pole, on the island called Spitzbergen.”
“O Kay! poor little Kay!” sighed Gerda.
“Do you choose to be quiet?” said the robber-maiden. “If you don’t, I shall make you.”
In the morning Gerda told her all that the wood-pigeons had said; and the little maiden looked very serious, but she nodded her head, and said, “That’s no matter—that’s no matter. Do you know where Lapland lies?” asked she of the Reindeer.
“Who should know better than I?” said the animal; and his eyes rolled in his head. “I was born and bred there; there I leapt about on the fields of snow.”
“Listen,” said the robber-maiden to Gerda. “You see that the men are gone; but my mother is still here, and will remain. As soon as she sleeps a little I will do something for you.” She now jumped out of bed, flew to her mother; and with her arms round her neck said, “Good-morning, you old stupid! good-morning.” And her mother in return took hold of her nose, and pinched it till it was red and blue,—and all this was out of pure love.