English Original
Once upon a time, there was a wicked hobgoblin who made a magic looking-glass. This mirror had a terrible power: it made everything good and beautiful shrink to almost nothing, while everything bad and ugly was magnified and looked worse. The most beautiful landscapes looked like boiled spinach, and the kindest people appeared repulsive.
One day, the mirror broke into countless tiny pieces. These splinters flew all over the world. If a piece got into someone's eye, they would see everything awry, focusing only on the bad. If a splinter pierced a heart, it would begin to turn into a lump of ice. The hobgoblin laughed at the mischief he had caused.
In a large town lived two poor children, Kay and Gerda. They were not siblings but loved each other dearly. They lived in attics opposite each other and shared a small rooftop garden with roses.
One winter evening, as snow fell, their grandmother told them stories about the "white bees" (snowflakes) and their queen. Kay, from his window, saw a snowflake grow into a beautiful, glittering maiden of ice—the Snow-Queen herself. She beckoned to him, and he was frightened.
The next spring, while looking at a picture book, Kay cried out in pain. A splinter from the magic mirror had entered his eye and another his heart. His kind nature changed instantly. He became cruel, mocked Gerda, destroyed their roses, and found beauty only in cold, perfect things like snowflakes.
One winter morning, Kay went to the market square with his sledge. A large white sledge appeared, driven by a figure in white fur. Kay attached his sledge to it, and they sped out of town. The driver was the Snow-Queen. She kissed Kay's forehead, a kiss cold as ice that made him forget Gerda and his home. She took him to her palace in the far north.
Gerda, heartbroken by Kay's disappearance, set out to find him when spring came. Her journey was long and filled with strange encounters:
1. The Flower Witch: An old woman with a magical garden made Gerda forget her quest by combing her hair. Gerda only remembered Kay when she saw a painted rose on the witch's hat, causing real roses to bloom from her tears.
2. The Crow: A talking crow told Gerda that a boy matching Kay's description now lived with a princess in a palace. With the crow's help, Gerda sneaked into the palace at night, only to find a different prince.
3. The Prince and Princess: The kind royal couple listened to Gerda's story, gave her warm clothes and a golden carriage, and sent her on her way.
4. The Robber Girl: Robbers attacked Gerda's carriage. A fierce but lonely little robber-girl saved Gerda from being eaten, took her to the robbers' camp, and let her sleep with the animals. Wood-pigeons there revealed that the Snow-Queen had taken Kay to Lapland.
5. The Reindeer: The robber-girl's captive reindeer knew the way to Lapland. Moved by Gerda's love, the robber-girl freed the reindeer and sent them north with supplies.
6. The Lapland Woman & The Finland Woman: These wise women guided Gerda further north. The Finland woman explained that Kay's heart was frozen because of the mirror splinter. Only Gerda's own innocence and love could save him.
The reindeer carried Gerda to the edge of the Snow-Queen's domain and left her. Braving the bitter cold, Gerda entered the vast, empty palace of ice and snow.
Inside, Kay was alone, trying to form the word "Eternity" from sharp pieces of ice—a task set by the Snow-Queen to win his freedom. His heart was ice, and he did not recognize Gerda.
Gerda ran to him, embraced him, and wept. Her warm tears melted the ice in his heart and washed the glass splinter from his eye. Kay recognized her and burst into tears himself. As they cried for joy, the ice pieces danced around them and formed the word "Eternity," fulfilling the Snow-Queen's condition.
Hand in hand, they left the palace. The reindeer was waiting and carried them back south. They met the robber-girl again, now a traveler herself, and finally returned home.
There they found their grandmother and their rooftop roses just the same. But when they stepped inside, they realized they had grown up. It was summer, warm and glorious.
中文翻译
从前，有一个邪恶的地精制造了一面魔镜。这面镜子拥有可怕的力量：它让一切美好事物几乎缩小不见，却将一切丑恶放大，显得更糟。最美的风景看起来像煮烂的菠菜，最善良的人显得令人厌恶。
一天，镜子摔碎了，变成无数碎片，飞向世界各地。如果碎片进入人的眼睛，他就会看什么都扭曲，只关注坏的一面。如果碎片刺入心脏，心就会开始结冰。地精为自己的恶作剧哈哈大笑。
在一个大城市里，住着两个穷孩子，凯和格尔达。他们不是兄妹，却彼此深爱。他们住在对面的阁楼里，共享一个种着玫瑰的小屋顶花园。
一个冬夜，下雪了，他们的祖母给他们讲关于“白蜜蜂”（雪花）和它们女王的故事。凯从窗口看见一片雪花变成一位美丽、闪闪发光的冰少女——正是冰雪女王本人。她向凯招手，把他吓坏了。
第二年春天，凯和格尔达看图画书时，凯突然痛得大叫。魔镜的一块碎片进了他的眼睛，另一块刺入了他的心。他善良的本性瞬间改变。他变得冷酷，嘲笑格尔达，毁掉了他们的玫瑰，只欣赏雪花那种冰冷、完美的东西。
一个冬天的早晨，凯带着雪橇去集市广场。出现了一架巨大的白色雪橇，由一个穿白毛皮的身影驾驶。凯把自己的雪橇系在后面，他们飞速驶出了城。驾驶者正是冰雪女王。她吻了凯的额头，那吻冰冷如冰，让他忘记了格尔达和家。她把他带到了北方遥远的宫殿。
格尔达为凯的失踪心碎，春天来临时，她出发去寻找他。她的旅程漫长而充满奇遇：
1. 花巫婆： 一位拥有魔法花园的老妇人通过给格尔达梳头，让她忘记了使命。直到格尔达看到巫婆帽子上画着的玫瑰，才想起凯，她的眼泪让真正的玫瑰从地里长了出来。
2. 乌鸦： 一只能说话的乌鸦告诉格尔达，一个符合凯描述的男孩现在和一位公主住在宫殿里。在乌鸦的帮助下，格尔达夜里溜进宫殿，却发现那是另一位王子。
3. 王子和公主： 善良的皇室夫妇听了格尔达的故事，给她暖和的衣服和一辆金马车，送她继续上路。
4. 强盗女孩： 强盗袭击了格尔达的马车。一个凶猛但孤独的小强盗女孩救了格尔达，没让她被吃掉，带她到强盗营地，让她和动物睡在一起。那里的野鸽子透露，冰雪女王把凯带到了拉普兰。
5. 驯鹿： 强盗女孩俘虏的驯鹿认识去拉普兰的路。被格尔达的爱感动，强盗女孩放走了驯鹿，送他们带着补给北上。
6. 拉普兰女人和芬兰女人： 这两位智慧的女人指引格尔达继续向北。芬兰女人解释说，凯的心被镜子的碎片冻住了。只有格尔达自身的纯真和爱才能拯救他。
驯鹿把格尔达带到冰雪女王领地的边缘后离开了。格尔达冒着严寒，进入了巨大空旷的冰雪宫殿。
里面，凯独自一人，正试图用尖利的冰块拼出“永恒”这个词——这是冰雪女王设定的、赢得自由的任务。他的心是冰做的，认不出格尔达。
格尔达跑向他，拥抱他，哭泣起来。她温暖的眼泪融化了他心中的冰，冲走了他眼中的玻璃碎片。凯认出了她，自己也哭了起来。他们喜极而泣时，冰块围绕着他们跳舞，拼出了“永恒”这个词，满足了冰雪女王的条件。
他们手牵手离开了宫殿。驯鹿正在等待，载着他们南归。他们再次遇到了已成为旅行者的强盗女孩，最后终于回到了家。
在那里，他们发现祖母和屋顶的玫瑰一切如旧。但当他们走进屋里，才意识到自己已经长大了。正是夏天，温暖而灿烂。