What Took Place in the Palace of the Snow Queen, and what Happened Afterward

           Thewallsofthepalacewereofdrivingsnow,andthewindowsanddoorsofcuttingwinds. Thereweremorethanahundredhallsthere,accordingasthesnowwasdrivenbythewinds.Thelargestwasmanymilesinextent; allwerelightedupbythepowerfulAuroraBorealis,andallweresolarge,soempty,soicycold,andsoresplendent! Mirthneverreignedthere;therewasneverevenalittlebear-ball,withthestormformusic,whilethepolarbearswentontheirhindlegsandshowedofftheirsteps. Neveralittletea-partyofwhiteyoungladyfoxes;vast,cold,andemptywerethehallsoftheSnowQueen. Thenorthern-lightsshonewithsuchprecisionthatonecouldtellexactlywhentheywereattheirhighestorlowestdegreeofbrightness. Inthemiddleoftheempty,endlesshallofsnow,wasafrozenlake;itwascrackedinathousandpieces,buteachpiecewassoliketheother,thatitseemedtheworkofacunningartificer. InthemiddleofthislakesattheSnowQueenwhenshewasathome;andthenshesaidshewassittingintheMirrorofUnderstanding,andthatthiswastheonlyoneandthebestthingintheworld. 

           LittleKaywasquiteblue,yesnearlyblackwithcold;buthedidnotobserveit,forshehadkissedawayallfeelingofcoldfromhisbody,andhisheartwasalumpofice. Hewasdraggingalongsomepointedflatpiecesofice,whichhelaidtogetherinallpossibleways, forhewantedtomakesomethingwiththem;justaswehavelittleflatpiecesofwoodtomakegeometricalfigureswith,calledtheChinesePuzzle. Kaymadeallsortsoffigures,themostcomplicated,foritwasanice-puzzlefortheunderstanding. Inhiseyesthefigureswereextraordinarilybeautiful,andoftheutmostimportance;forthebitofglasswhichwasinhiseyecausedthis.