said little Gerda; "it is autumn.I must not rest any longer," and she rose up to go on. But herlittle feet were wounded and sore, and everything around her looked socold and bleak. The long willow-leaves were quite yellow. Thedew-drops fell like water, leaf after leaf dropped from the trees, thesloe-thorn alone still bore fruit, but the sloes were sour, and setthe teeth on edge. Oh, how dark and weary the whole world appeared!
  FOURTH STORY
  THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
  Gerda was obliged to rest again, and just opposite the place whereshe sat, she saw a great crow come hopping across the snow toward her.He stood looking at her for some time, and then he wagged his head andsaid, "Caw, caw; good-day, good-day." He pronounced the words asplainly as he could, because he meant to be kind to the little girl;and then he asked her where she was going all alone in the wide world.
  The word alone Gerda understood very well, and knew how much itexpressed. So then she told the crow the whole story of her life andadventures, and asked him if he had seen little Kay.
  The crow nodded his head very gravely, and said, "Perhaps Ihave- it may be."
  "No! Do you think you have?" cried little Gerda, and she kissedthe crow, and hugged him almost to death with joy.
  "Gently, gently," said the crow. "I believe I know. I think it maybe little Kay; but he has certainly forgotten you by this time for theprincess."
  "Does he live with a princess?" asked Gerda.
  "Yes, listen," replied the crow, "but it is so difficult tospeak your language. If you understand the crows' language then Ican explain it better. Do you?"
  "No, I have never learnt it," said Gerda, but my grandmotherunderstands it, and used to speak it to me. I wish I had learnt it."
  "It does not matter," answered the crow; "I will explain as wellas I can, although it will be very badly done;" and he told her whathe had heard. "In this kingdom where we now are," said he, "therelives a princess, who is so wonderfully clever that she has read allthe newspapers in the world, and forgotten them too, although she isso clever. A short time ago, as she was sitting on her throne, whichpeople say is not such an agreeable seat as is often supposed, shebegan to sing a song which commences in these words:
  'Why should I not be married?''Why not indeed?' said she, and so she determined to marry if shecould find a husband who knew what to say when he was spoken to, andnot one who could only look grand, for that was so tiresome. Thenshe assembled all her court ladies together at the beat of the drum,and when they heard of her intentions they were very much pleased. 'Weare so glad to hear it,' said they, we were talking about it ourselvesthe other day.' You may believe that every word I tell you is true,"said the crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart who goes freely about thepalace, and she told me all this."
  Of course his sweetheart was a crow, for "birds of a feather flocktogether," and one crow always chooses another crow.
  "Newspapers were published immediately, with a border of hearts,and the initials of the princess among them. They gave notice thatevery young man who was handsome was free to visit the castle andspeak with the princess; and those who could reply loud enough to beheard when spoken to, were to make themselves quite at home at thepalace; but the one who spoke best would be chosen as a husband forthe princess. Yes, yes, you may believe me, it is all as true as I sithere," said the crow. "The people came in crowds. There was a greatdeal of crushing and running about, but no one succeeded either on thefirst or second day. They could all speak very well while they wereoutside in the streets, but when they entered the palace gates, andsaw the guards in silver uniforms, and the footmen in their goldenlivery on the staircase, and the great halls lighted up, they becamequite confused. And when they stood before the throne on which theprincess sat, they could do nothing but repeat the last words shehad said; and she had no particular wish to hear her own words overagain. It was just as if they had all taken something to make themsleepy while they were in the palace, for they did not recoverthemselves nor speak till they got back again into the street. Therewas quite a long line of them reaching from the town-gate to thepalace. I went myself to see them," said the crow. "They were hungryand thirsty, for at the palace they did not get even a glass of water.Some of the wisest had taken a few slices of bread and butter withthem, but they did not share it with their neighbors; they thoughtif they went in to the princess looking hungry, there would be abetter chance for themselves."
  "But Kay!