English Original
The coach drove through a thick forest, lighting the way like a torch. It dazzled the eyes of robbers, who could not let it pass unmolested.
“It is gold! it is gold!” they cried, rushing forward and seizing the horses. They struck the jockeys, coachman, and footman dead, and pulled little Gerda from the carriage.
“She is fat and pretty, fed with nut kernels,” said the old robber-woman with a long beard and overhanging eyebrows. “She is as good as a lamb; how nice she will taste!” As she said this, she drew forth a shining, horrible knife.
“Oh!” screamed the old woman; her own daughter had bitten her ear. The wild, naughty girl held her back. The mother called her an ugly thing and had no time to kill Gerda.
“She shall play with me,” said the little robber-girl. “She shall give me her muff and pretty dress, and sleep in my bed.” Then she bit her mother again, making her jump about. All the robbers laughed. “See how she dances with her young cub.”
“I will ride in the coach,” said the little robber-girl. She was self-willed and obstinate. She and Gerda seated themselves and drove away over stumps and stones into the forest depths.
The robber-girl was about Gerda's size but stronger, with broader shoulders, darker skin, and quite black eyes that held a mournful look. She clasped Gerda round the waist.
“They shall not kill you as long as you don't make us vexed. I suppose you are a princess.”
“No,” said Gerda, and told her all her history and her fondness for little Kay.
The robber-girl looked earnestly at her, nodded slightly, and said, “They sha'nt kill you, even if I get angry; for I will do it myself.” Then she wiped Gerda's eyes and stuck her hands in the soft, warm muff.
The coach stopped in a robber's castle courtyard. The walls were cracked from top to bottom. Ravens and crows flew in and out of holes and crevices. Great bulldogs jumped about but were not allowed to bark.
In the large, smoky hall, a bright fire burned on the stone floor. There was no chimney; smoke rose to the ceiling. Soup boiled in a large cauldron; hares and rabbits roasted on a spit.
“You shall sleep with me and all my little animals tonight,” said the robber-girl after they ate. She took Gerda to a corner where straw and carpets were laid. Above, on laths and perches, slept more than a hundred pigeons.
“These all belong to me,” said the robber-girl. She seized the nearest pigeon, held it by the feet, and shook it till it flapped its wings. “Kiss it,” she cried, flapping it in Gerda's face.
“There sit the wood-pigeons,” she continued, pointing to laths and a cage fixed into the wall. “Both rascals would fly away if not locked up. And here is my old sweetheart 'Ba.'” She dragged out a reindeer by the horn. It wore a bright copper ring and was tied up.
“We must hold him tight, or he would run away. I tickle his neck every evening with my sharp knife, which frightens him.” She drew a long knife from a wall chink and slid it gently over the reindeer's neck. The poor animal kicked. The little robber-girl laughed and pulled Gerda into bed.
“Will you have that knife while asleep?” asked Gerda in fright.
“I always sleep with the knife,” said the robber-girl. “No one knows what may happen. Now tell me again about little Kay and why you went into the world.”
Gerda repeated her story while the wood-pigeons cooed and the other pigeons slept. The robber-girl put one arm across Gerda's neck, held the knife in the other, and was soon fast asleep. Gerda could not close her eyes; she knew not whether she was to live or die. The robbers sat round the fire, singing and drinking. The old woman stumbled about. It was a terrible sight.
Then the wood-pigeons said, “Coo, coo; we have seen little Kay. A white fowl carried his sledge. He sat in the Snow Queen's carriage, which drove through the wood while we lay in our nest. She blew upon us, and all the young ones died except us two. Coo, coo.”
“What are you saying?” cried Gerda. “Where was the Snow Queen going?”
“She was most likely travelling to Lapland, where there is always snow and ice. Ask the reindeer fastened with a rope.”
“Yes, there is always snow and ice,” said the reindeer. “It is a glorious place; you can leap and run freely on the sparkling ice plains. The Snow Queen has her summer tent there, but her strong castle is at the North Pole, on an island called Spitzbergen.”
“Oh, Kay, little Kay!” sighed Gerda.
“Lie still,” said the robber-girl, “or I shall run my knife into your body.”
In the morning, Gerda told her what the wood-pigeons said. The little robber-girl looked serious, nodded, and said, “That is all talk. Do you know where Lapland is?” she asked the reindeer.
“Who should know better than I?” said the animal, his eyes sparkling. “I was born and brought up there, running about the snow-covered plains.”
“Now listen,” said the robber-girl. “All our men are gone—only mother is here. At noon she drinks from a great bottle and then sleeps a while. Then, I'll do something for you.” She jumped out of bed, clasped her mother's neck, pulled her beard, and cried, “My own little nanny goat, good morning.” Her mother filliped her nose till it was red, all for love.
When the mother had drunk and slept, the little robber-maiden went to the reindeer. “I should like to tickle your neck more with my knife, for it makes you look funny; but never mind—I will untie your cord and set you free to run to Lapland. But you must carry this little maiden to the Snow Queen's castle, where her play-fellow is. You heard what she told me, for she spoke loud enough.”
The reindeer jumped for joy. The little robber-girl lifted Gerda onto his back, tied her on, and gave her a cushion to sit on.
“Here are your fur boots, for it will be very cold. But I must keep the muff; it is so pretty. However, you shall not freeze; here are my mother's large warm mittens. They will reach your elbows.” She put them on. “Now your hands look just like my mother's.”
Gerda wept for joy.
“I don't like to see you fret,” said the little robber-girl. “You ought to look happy now. Here are two loaves and a ham so you need not starve.” She fastened these on the reindeer, opened the door, coaxed in the great dogs, and cut the reindeer's string with her sharp knife. “Now run, but mind you take good care of the little girl.”
Gerda stretched out her hand with the great mitten towards the little robber-girl. “Farewell.” Away flew the reindeer over stumps and stones, through the forest, over marshes and plains. Wolves howled; ravens screamed; red lights quivered in the sky like flames.
“There are my old northern lights,” said the reindeer. “See how they flash.” He ran on day and night, faster and faster. The loaves and ham were all eaten by the time they reached Lapland.
中文翻译
马车驶过一片茂密的森林，像火把一样照亮了道路。光芒晃了强盗们的眼睛，他们无法容忍它安然通过。
“是金子！是金子！”他们喊道，冲上前抓住了马匹。他们打死了小马夫、车夫和男仆，把小格尔达从马车里拉了出来。
“她又胖又漂亮，是用坚果的果仁喂大的，”老强盗婆说，她长着长胡子，眉毛耷拉在眼睛上。“她像只小羊羔一样好；味道一定不错！”说着，她抽出一把闪亮、可怕的刀。
“噢！”老妇人尖叫起来；她自己的女儿咬了她的耳朵。这个野性、顽劣的女孩拉住了她。母亲骂她是个丑东西，没时间杀格尔达。
“她要和我玩，”小强盗女孩说。“她得把她的暖手筒和漂亮裙子给我，还要睡在我的床上。”然后她又咬了母亲一口，让她跳来跳去。所有的强盗都笑了。“看她和她的小崽子跳得多欢。”
“我要坐马车，”小强盗女孩说。她任性又固执。她和格尔达坐上车，驶过树桩和石头，进入了森林深处。
强盗女孩和格尔达差不多高，但更强壮，肩膀更宽，皮肤更黑，眼睛乌黑，带着一丝忧郁的神情。她搂住格尔达的腰。
“只要你不惹我们生气，他们就不会杀你。我猜你是个公主吧。”
“不是，”格尔达说，然后告诉了她自己的全部经历，以及她对小凯的喜爱。
强盗女孩认真地看了看她，微微点头，说：“就算我生气了，他们也不会杀你；因为我会亲自动手。”然后她擦去格尔达的眼泪，把自己的手伸进那柔软温暖的暖手筒里。
马车停在一个强盗城堡的院子里。墙壁从上到下都裂开了。渡鸦和乌鸦在洞口和裂缝里飞进飞出。巨大的斗牛犬跳来跳去，但不被允许吠叫。
在巨大、烟雾弥漫的大厅里，石地板上燃着明亮的火。没有烟囱；烟雾升到天花板。大锅里煮着汤；铁叉上烤着野兔和家兔。
“今晚你要和我，还有我所有的小动物一起睡，”吃过东西后，强盗女孩说。她把格尔达带到一个铺着稻草和地毯的角落。上方，在板条和栖木上，睡着一百多只鸽子。
“这些都是我的，”强盗女孩说。她抓住最近的一只鸽子，提着它的脚摇晃，直到它拍打翅膀。“亲亲它，”她喊道，把鸽子扑腾到格尔达脸上。
“那儿坐着野鸽子，”她继续说，指着固定在墙上的板条和一个笼子。“这两个坏蛋要不是被锁着，早就飞走了。这是我的老相好‘巴’。”她抓住一只驯鹿的角把它拖出来。它脖子上戴着一个明亮的铜环，被拴着。
“我们必须把它拴紧，不然它会跑掉。我每天晚上都用我的尖刀挠它的脖子，这可把它吓坏了。”她从墙缝里抽出一把长刀，轻轻地在驯鹿脖子上滑动。可怜的动物踢腾起来。小强盗女孩笑了，把格尔达拉上床。
“你睡觉时也要带着那把刀吗？”格尔达害怕地问。
“我总是带着刀睡觉，”强盗女孩说。“没人知道会发生什么。现在再给我讲讲小凯，还有你为什么来到外面的世界。”
格尔达重复了她的故事，野鸽子咕咕叫着，其他鸽子睡着了。强盗女孩一只胳膊搂着格尔达的脖子，另一只手握着刀，很快就睡着了。格尔达根本无法合眼；她不知道自己会死还是会活。强盗们围坐在火边，唱歌喝酒。老妇人踉踉跄跄地走来走去。这景象对一个女孩来说太可怕了。
这时野鸽子说：“咕，咕；我们见过小凯。一只白色的禽鸟拉着他的雪橇。他坐在冰雪女王的马车里，马车驶过森林时我们正躺在窝里。她朝我们吹气，除了我们俩，所有的小鸽子都死了。咕，咕。”
“你们在说什么？”格尔达喊道。“冰雪女王要去哪里？”
“她很可能要去拉普兰，那里终年冰雪。问问那只被绳子拴着的驯鹿。”
“是的，那里终年冰雪，”驯鹿说。“那是个壮丽的地方；你可以在闪闪发光的冰原上自由地跳跃奔跑。冰雪女王在那里有她的夏宫，但她坚固的城堡在北极，一个叫斯匹次卑尔根的岛上。”
“噢，凯，小凯！”格尔达叹息道。
“躺着别动，”强盗女孩说，“不然我就把刀插进你身体里。”
早上，格尔达把野鸽子的话告诉了她。小强盗女孩表情严肃，点点头说：“那都是瞎说。你知道拉普兰在哪儿吗？”她问驯鹿。
“还有谁比我更清楚呢？”驯鹿说，眼睛闪闪发亮。“我生在那里，长在那里，在白雪覆盖的平原上奔跑。”
“听着，”强盗女孩说。“我们的人都走了——只有妈妈在这里。中午她会喝一大瓶酒，然后睡一会儿。到时候，我会为你做点事。”她跳下床，搂住母亲的脖子，扯她的胡子，喊道：“我亲爱的小山羊，早上好。”她母亲弹她的鼻子直到发红，这都是出于爱。
母亲喝完酒睡着后，小强盗姑娘走到驯鹿跟前。“我真想再用我的刀挠挠你的脖子，因为你看起来太滑稽了；不过算了——我会解开你的绳子，放你自由，让你跑去拉普兰。但你必须驮着这个小姑娘去冰雪女王的城堡，她的玩伴在那里。你听到她跟我说的话了，因为她说得够大声。”
驯鹿高兴得跳了起来。小强盗女孩把格尔达举到它背上，把她绑好，还给了她一个小垫子坐。
“这是你的毛皮靴子，因为会很冷。但暖手筒我得留着；它太漂亮了。不过，你不会冻着的；这是我妈妈的大号暖连指手套。它们能套到你的胳膊肘。”她给格尔达戴上。“看，你的手现在就像我妈妈的手一样了。”
格尔达高兴得哭了。
“我不喜欢看你难过，”小强盗女孩说。“你现在应该高兴才对。这是两条面包和一块火腿，这样你就不会挨饿了。”她把东西绑在驯鹿身上，打开门，哄进所有的大狗，然后用她的尖刀割断了拴着驯鹿的绳子。“现在跑吧，但要记住好好照顾这个小姑娘。”
格尔达戴着大连指手套的手伸向小强盗女孩。“再见。”驯鹿飞驰而去，越过树桩和石头，穿过森林，越过沼泽和平原。狼在嚎叫；渡鸦在尖叫；天空中颤动着红色的光，像火焰一样。
“那是我的老朋友北极光，”驯鹿说。“看它们闪烁得多厉害。”它日夜不停地跑，越来越快。等他们到达拉普兰时，面包和火腿都吃完了。