In a big city, where houses stood so close they almost touched, lived two little friends, Kay and Gerda. They weren't brother and sister, but they loved each other just as much. On their rooftops, they had little wooden boxes where they grew vegetables and the most beautiful roses.

Now, far away, a naughty goblin had made a very tricky mirror. This mirror had a strange power: it made everything good and beautiful look ugly and twisted, and everything bad and ugly look interesting and important. One day, the goblin and his imp friends tried to carry the mirror up to the sky to make fun of the angels. But they flew too high, the mirror shook and wobbled, and CRASH! It fell to earth and shattered into millions and billions of tiny, sparkly pieces.

These tiny bits of glass were the worst. If a speck flew into someone's eye, they would see everything crooked and mean. If a tiny piece lodged in someone's heart, their heart would turn into a lump of ice.

One winter day, Kay and Gerda were looking at a picture book. Suddenly, Kay cried out, "Ouch! Something pricked my eye!" And then, "Oh! Something sharp just went into my heart!"
Poor Kay! A tiny splinter from the goblin's mirror had flown into his eye, and another into his heart.
Right away, he changed. "Look how ugly those roses are!" he said to Gerda, pointing at their lovely flowers. "And your crying is so silly!" He started to make fun of everyone and everything. He only liked things that were perfectly formed, like snowflakes under a magnifying glass.

Winter came with lots of snow. One day, Kay went to the big square with his little sled. A huge, white sleigh, pulled by white horses, glided into the square. In it sat a tall, dazzling lady, all dressed in white fur and sparkling ice. It was the Snow Queen!
She smiled at Kay. He thought she was the most beautiful and clever person he had ever seen. He tied his little sled to her grand sleigh. Whoosh! They flew out of the city gates, faster and faster. The Snow Queen kissed Kay on his forehead. The kiss was colder than ice, and it made him forget Gerda, his grandmother, and everyone at home. She kissed him again, and he became completely still and cold, almost like he was made of ice himself. They flew on until they reached her palace, a vast, glittering castle made entirely of ice and snow.

Gerda waited and waited for Kay. When he didn't come back, she cried and cried. Everyone thought he must have drowned in the river.
When spring came, Gerda decided she had to find him. She went to the river. "Dear river," she said, "have you taken my Kay? I'll give you my new red shoes if you tell me." She threw her precious shoes into the water. A little boat nearby seemed to nod, so she climbed in, and it drifted away with her.

The boat carried her to a lovely garden full of flowers that bloomed all year round. An old woman with a sunhat and a staff that looked like a cherry branch came out. She was a kind sorceress. She combed Gerda's hair with a golden comb, and Gerda forgot all about Kay, happy in the magical garden. But one day, Gerda saw a rose painted on the old woman's hat. "Roses!" she remembered. "Kay loved roses!" And all her memories came flooding back. She ran out of the garden as fast as she could.

She met a clever crow who told her he thought he’d seen Kay with a princess in a nearby palace. The crow and his sweetheart, a tame crow, led Gerda to the palace. But the prince wasn't Kay. The prince and princess were very kind, though. They gave Gerda warm clothes, boots, and a golden carriage to help her on her journey.

As she traveled, her golden carriage was attacked by robbers! A fierce little robber girl, about Gerda's age, decided Gerda would be her playmate. Gerda told the robber girl her sad story. The robber girl, who had a surprisingly soft heart under her wild ways, felt sorry for Gerda. She let Gerda go and even gave her a reindeer named Bae to ride north, towards Lapland, where the Snow Queen lived.

Bae the reindeer carried Gerda swiftly. They stopped at the hut of a Lapp woman, who warmed them and wrote a message on a dried codfish for a Finn woman who lived further north and knew many secrets. The Finn woman read the message. She told the reindeer that Gerda's power was in her innocent, loving heart. "She is stronger than any magic I can give her," said the Finn woman. "She can reach the Snow Queen's palace herself."

At last, after a long and cold journey, Bae brought Gerda to the edge of the Snow Queen's lands. He kissed Gerda goodbye, and tears ran down his face. Gerda walked on alone, into the biting wind and swirling snow.
She finally reached the Snow Queen's palace. It was huge, empty, and freezing. In the middle of a vast, icy hall, she saw Kay. He was pale and blue with cold, trying to arrange sharp pieces of ice into patterns. The Snow Queen had told him that if he could spell the word "Eternity" with the ice, he would be his own master and she would give him the whole world and a new pair of skates. But he couldn't do it. He didn't even notice Gerda.

"Kay!" cried Gerda, running to him. She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. Her warm tears fell on his chest, melted the ice around his heart, and washed away the tiny mirror splinter.
Kay looked at her. Tears welled up in his own eyes, and as he cried, the splinter in his eye washed out too!
"Gerda! My sweet little Gerda!" he cried, hugging her back. "Where have you been for so long? And where have I been?"
They were so happy that the pieces of ice around them danced and then settled themselves into the word "Eternity." Their task was done!

Hand in hand, Kay and Gerda walked out of the ice palace. Bae the reindeer was waiting for them, and he brought another reindeer to help carry them. On their way back, they met the robber girl, who was happy to see them. They met the prince and princess, who celebrated their return.
When they finally reached their city and their homes, they noticed something strange. They had grown up! They were now young adults. But in their hearts, they were still children.
Their grandmother was sitting in the sunshine, reading from a big book. The roses in the rooftop gardens were blooming beautifully. Kay and Gerda sat down beside her, holding hands, happy to be home, their hearts warm and full of love.

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