Here we are!" The boat floated with thestream; little Gerda sat quite still with only her stockings on herfeet; the red shoes floated after her, but she could not reach thembecause the boat kept so much in advance. The banks on each side ofthe river were very pretty. There were beautiful flowers, old trees,sloping fields, in which cows and sheep were grazing, but not a man tobe seen. Perhaps the river will carry me to little Kay, thought Gerda,and then she became more cheerful, and raised her head, and lookedat the beautiful green banks; and so the boat sailed on for hours.At length she came to a large cherry orchard, in which stood a smallred house with strange red and blue windows. It had also a thatchedroof, and outside were two wooden soldiers, that presented arms to heras she sailed past. Gerda called out to them, for she thought theywere alive, but of course they did not answer; and as the boat driftednearer to the shore, she saw what they really were. Then Gerdacalled still louder, and there came a very old woman out of the house,leaning on a crutch. She wore a large hat to shade her from the sun,and on it were painted all sorts of pretty flowers. "You poor littlechild," said the old woman, "how did you manage to come all thisdistance into the wide world on such a rapid rolling stream?" And thenthe old woman walked in the water, seized the boat with her crutch,drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out. And Gerda was glad to feelherself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid of the strangeold woman. "Come and tell me who you are," said she, "and how came youhere."
  Then Gerda told her everything, while the old woman shook herhead, and said, "Hem-hem;" and when she had finished, Gerda asked ifshe had not seen little Kay, and the old woman told her he had notpassed by that way, but he very likely would come. So she told Gerdanot to be sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look at theflowers; they were better than any picture-book, for each of themcould tell a story. Then she took Gerda by the hand and led her intothe little house, and the old woman closed the door. The windowswere very high, and as the panes were red, blue, and yellow, thedaylight shone through them in all sorts of singular colors. On thetable stood beautiful cherries, and Gerda had permission to eat asmany as she would. While she was eating them the old woman combedout her long flaxen ringlets with a golden comb, and the glossycurls hung down on each side of the little round pleasant face,which looked fresh and blooming as a rose. "I have long been wishingfor a dear little maiden like you," said the old woman, "and now youmust stay with me, and see how happily we shall live together." Andwhile she went on combing little Gerda's hair, she thought less andless about her adopted brother Kay, for the old woman could conjure,although she was not a wicked witch; she conjured only a little forher own amusement, and now, because she wanted to keep Gerda.Therefore she went into the garden, and stretched out her crutchtowards all the rose-trees, beautiful though they were; and theyimmediately sunk into the dark earth, so that no one could tellwhere they had once stood. The old woman was afraid that if littleGerda saw roses she would think of those at home, and then rememberlittle Kay, and run away. Then she took Gerda into theflower-garden. How fragrant and beautiful it was! Every flower thatcould be thought of for every season of the year was here in fullbloom; no picture-book could have more beautiful colors. Gerdajumped for joy, and played till the sun went down behind the tallcherry-trees; then she slept in an elegant bed with red silkpillows, embroidered with colored violets; and then she dreamed aspleasantly as a queen on her wedding day. The next day, and for manydays after, Gerda played with the flowers in the warm sunshine. Sheknew every flower, and yet, although there were so many of them, itseemed as if one were missing, but which it was she could not tell.One day, however, as she sat looking at the old woman's hat with thepainted flowers on it, she saw that the prettiest of them all was arose. The old woman had forgotten to take it from her hat when shemade all the roses sink into the earth. But it is difficult to keepthe thoughts together in everything; one little mistake upsets all ourarrangements.
  "What, are there no roses here?"