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and sit in the mistress's lap。 Theyused to kiss my nose； and wipe my paws with an embroideredhandkerchief； and I was called 'Ami； dear Ami； sweet Ami。' But after awhile I grew too big for them； and they sent me away to thehousekeeper's room； so I came to live on the lower story。 You can lookinto the room from where you stand； and see where I was master once；for I was indeed master to the housekeeper。 It was certainly a smallerroom than those up stairs； but I was more fortable； for I was notbeing continually taken hold of and pulled about by the children asI had been。 I received quite as good food； or even better。 I had myown cushion； and there was a stove… it is the finest thing in theworld at this season of the year。 I used to go under the stove； andlie down quite beneath it。 Ah； I still dream of that stove。 Away；away！〃
〃Does a stove look beautiful？〃 asked the Snow Man； 〃is it at alllike me？〃
〃It is just the reverse of you；' said the dog； 〃it's as black as acrow； and has a long neck and a brass knob； it eats firewood； sothat fire spurts out of its mouth。 We should keep on one side； orunder it； to be fortable。 You can see it through the window； fromwhere you stand。〃
Then the Snow Man looked； and saw a bright polished thing with abrazen knob； and fire gleaming from the lower part of it。 The Snow Manfelt quite a strange sensation e over him； it was very odd； he knewnot what it meant； and he could not account for it。 But there arepeople who are not men of snow； who understand what it is。 〃'And whydid you leave her？〃 asked the Snow Man； for it seemed to him thatthe stove must be of the female sex。 〃How could you give up such afortable place？〃
〃I was obliged；〃 replied the yard…dog。 〃They turned me out ofdoors； and chained me up here。 I had bitten the youngest of mymaster's sons in the leg； because he kicked away the bone I wasgnawing。 'Bone for bone；' I thought； but they were so angry； andfrom that time I have been fastened with a chain； and lost my bone。Don't you hear how hoarse I am。 Away； away！ I can't talk any more likeother dogs。 Away； away； that is the end of it all。〃
But the Snow Man was no longer listening。 He was looking intothe housekeeper's room on the lower storey； where the stove stood onits four iron legs； looking about the same size as the Snow Manhimself。 〃What a strange crackling I feel within me；〃 he said。〃Shall I ever get in there？ It is an innocent wish； and innocentwishes are sure to be fulfilled。 I must go in there and lean againsther； even if I have to break the window。〃
〃You must never go in there；〃 said the yard…dog； 〃for if youapproach the stove； you'll melt away； away。〃
〃I might as well go；〃 said the Snow Man； 〃for I think I ambreaking up as it is。〃
During the whole day the Snow Man stood looking in through thewindow； and in the twilight hour the room became still moreinviting； for from the stove came a gentle glow； not like the sun orthe moon； no； only the bright light which gleams from a stove whenit has been well fed。 When the door of the stove was opened； theflames darted out of its mouth； this is customary with all stoves。 Thelight of the flames fell directly on the face and breast of the SnowMan with a ruddy gleam。 〃I can endure it no longer；〃 said he； 〃howbeautiful it looks when it stretches out its tongue？〃
The night was long； but did not appear so to the Snow Man； whostood there enjoying his own reflections； and crackling with the cold。In the morning； the window…panes of the housekeeper's room werecovered with ice。 They were the most beautiful ice…flowers any SnowMan could desire； but they concealed the stove。 These window…paneswould not thaw； and he could see nothing of the stove； which hepictured to himself； as if it had been a lovely human being。 Thesnow crackled and the wind whistled around him； it was just the kindof frosty weather a Snow Man might thoroughly enjoy。 But he did notenjoy it； how； indeed； could he enjoy anything when he was 〃stovesick？〃
〃That is terrible disease for a Snow Man；〃 said the yard…dog； 〃Ihave suffered from it myself； but I got over it。 Away； away；〃 hebarked and then he added； 〃the weather is going to change。〃 And theweather did change； it began to thaw。 As the warmth increased； theSnow Man decreased。 He said nothing and made no plaint； which isa sure sign。 One morning he broke； and sunk down altogether； and；behold； where he had stood； something like a broomstick remainedsticking up in the ground。 It was the pole round which the boys hadbuilt him up。 〃Ah； now I understand why he had such a great longingfor the stove；〃 said the yard…dog。 〃Why； there's the shovel that isused for cleaning out the stove； fastened to the pole。〃 The Snow Manhad a stove scraper in his body； that was what moved him so。 〃But it'sall over now。 Away； away。〃 And soon the winter passed。 〃Away； away；〃barked the hoarse yard…dog。 But the girls in the house sang；
〃e from your fragrant home； green thyme；
Stretch your soft branches； willow…tree；
The months are bringing the sweet spring…time；
When the lark in the sky sings joyfully。
e gentle sun； while the cuckoo sings；
And I'll mock his note in my wanderings。〃
And nobody thought any more of the Snow Man。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE SNOW QUEEN
IN SEVEN STORIES
by Hans Christian Andersen
STORY THE FIRST
WHICH describes a looking…glass and the broken fragments。
You must attend to the mencement of this story； for when we getto the end we shall know more than we do now about a very wickedhobgoblin； he was one of the very worst； for he was a real demon。One day； when he was in a merry mood； he made a looking…glass whichhad the power of making everything good or beautiful that wasreflected in it almost shrink to nothing； while everything that wasworthless and bad looked increased in size and worse than ever。 Themost lovely landscapes appeared like boiled spinach； and the peoplebecame hideous； and looked as if they stood on their heads and hadno bodies。 Their countenances were so distorted that no one couldrecognize them； and even one freckle on the face appeared to spreadover the whole of the nose and mouth。 The demon said this was veryamusing。 When a good or pious thought passed through the mind of anyone it was misrepresented in the glass； and then how the demon laughedat his cunning invention。 All who went to the demon's school… for hekept a school… talked everywhere of the wonders they had seen； anddeclared that people could now； for the first time； see what the worldand mankind were really like。 They carried the glass about everywhere；till at last there was not a land nor a people who had not been lookedat through this distorted mirror。 They wanted even to fly with it upto heaven to see the angels； but the higher they flew the moreslippery the glass became； and they could scarcely hold it； till atlast it slipped from their hands； fell to the earth； and was brokeninto millions of pieces。 But now the looking…glass caused moreunhappiness than ever； for some of the fragments were not so largeas a grain of sand； and they flew about the world into everycountry。 When one of these tiny atoms flew into a person's eye； itstuck there unknown to him； and from that moment he saw everythingthrough a distorted medium； or could see only the worst side of whathe looked at； for even the smallest fragment retained the same powerwhich had belonged to the whole mirror。 Some few persons even got afragment of the looking…glass in their hearts； and this was veryterrible； for their hearts became cold like a lump of ice。 A few ofthe pieces were so large that they could be used as window…panes； itwould have been a sad thing to look at our friends through them。 Otherpieces were made into spectacles； this was dreadful for those who worethem； for they could see nothing either rightly or justly。 At all thisthe wicked demon laughed till his sides shook… it tickled him so tosee the mischief he had done。 There were still a number of theselittle fragments of glass floating about in the air； and now you shallhear what happened with one of them。
SECOND STORY
A LITTLE BOY AND A LITTLE GIRL
In a large town； full of houses and people； there is not roomfor everybody to have