his sled."

"That may be," said the Crow; "I did not see him close to; but I know
from my tame sweetheart that when he came into the courtyard of the
palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, and the lackeys on the
staircase in gold, he was not in the least cast down; he nodded and said
to them, 'It must be very tiresome to stand on the stairs; for my part,
I shall go in.' The halls were bright with lights. Court people and fine
folks were walking about on bare feet; it was all very solemn. His boots
creaked, too, very loudly; but still he was not at all afraid."

"That's Kay, for certain," said Gerda. "I know he had on new boots; I
have heard them creaking in grandmamma's room."

"Yes, they creaked," said the Crow. "And on he went boldly up to the
Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spinning-wheel. All
the ladies of the court stood about, with their maids and their maids'
maids, and all the gentlemen with their servants and their servants'
servants, who kept a boy; and the nearer they stood to the door, the
prouder they looked. The boy of the servants' servants, who always goes
in slippers, hardly looked at one, so very proudly did he stand in
the doorway."

"It must have been terrible," said little Gerda. "And did Kay get the
Princess?"

"Were I not a Crow, I should have taken the Princess myself, although I
am engaged. It is said he spoke as well as I speak when I talk crow
language; this I learned from my tame sweetheart. He was bold and nicely
behaved; he had not come to woo the Princess, but only to hear her