"No, I have not learnt it," said Gerda; "but my grandmother understands
it. I wish I had learnt it."

"No matter," said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can; but it
will be bad enough." And then he told all he knew.

"In the kingdom where we now are, there lives a princess, who is vastly
clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the whole world, and has
forgotten them again,--so clever is she. Some time ago, they say, she
was sitting on her throne,--which is no great fun, after all,--when she
began humming an old tune, and it was just 'Oh, why should I not be
married?' 'Come, now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then
she was bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how to
give an answer when he was spoken to,--not one who was good for nothing
but to stand and be looked at, for that is very tiresome. She then had
all the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heard what
she meant to do, all were well pleased, and said, 'We are quite glad to
hear it: it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You may believe
every word I say," said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that
hops about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.

"The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts and the
initials of the Princess; and you could read in them that every
good-looking young man was free to come to the palace and speak to the
Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as showed he felt himself at
home there, and talked best, that one the Princess would choose for
her husband.

"Yes--yes," said the Crow, "you may believe it; it is as true as I am
sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush and a hurry, but