She called his name out loud, holding the lamp towards
him.

He woke up, turned his head and--it was not Kay!

It was only his neck that was like Kay's, but he was young and handsome.
The princess sat up in her lily-bed and asked who was there.

Then Gerda cried, and told her story and all that the crows had done.

'You poor child!' said the prince and princess, and they praised the
crows, and said that they were not angry with them, but that they must
not do it again. Now they should have a reward.

'Would you like to fly away free?' said the princess, 'or will you have
a permanent place as court crows with what you can get in the kitchen?'

And both crows bowed and asked for a permanent appointment, for they
thought of their old age.

And they put Gerda to bed, and she folded her hands, thinking, as she
fell asleep, 'How good people and animals are to me!'

The next day she was dressed from head to foot in silk and satin.
They wanted her to stay on in the palace, but she begged for a little
carriage and a horse, and a pair of shoes so that she might go out again
into the world to look for Kay.

They gave her a muff as well as some shoes; she was warmly dressed, and
when she was ready, there in front of the door stood a coach of pure
gold, with a coachman, footmen and postilions with gold crowns on.

The prince and princess helped her into the carriage and wished her good
luck.

The wild crow who was now married drove with her for the first three
miles; the other crow could not come because she had a bad headache.

'Good-bye, good-bye!' called the prince and princess; and little Gerda
cried, and the crow cried.

When he said good-bye, he flew on to a tree and waved with his black
wings as long as the carriage, which shone like the sun, was in sight.

They came at last to a dark wood, but the coach lit it up like a torch.
When the robbers saw it, they rushed out, exclaiming, 'Gold! gold!'

They seized the horses, killed the coachman, footmen and postilions, and
dragged Gerda out of the carriage.

'She is plump and tender! I will eat her!' said the old robber-queen,
and she drew her long knife, which glittered horribly.

'You shall not kill her!' cried her little daughter. 'She shall play
with me. She shall give me her muff and her beautiful dress, and she
shall sleep in my bed.'

The little robber-girl was as big as Gerda, but was stronger, broader,
with dark hair and black eyes. She threw her arms