And now came the greatest misfortune of all, for each of the
pieces was hardly as large as a grain of sand and they flew about
all over the world, and if anyone had a bit in his eye there it
stayed, and then he would see everything awry, or else could only
see the bad sides of a case. For every tiny splinter of the
glass possessed the same power that the whole glass had.

Some people got a splinter in their hearts, and that was
dreadful, for then it began to turn into a lump of ice.

The hobgoblin laughed till his sides ached, but still the tiny
bits of glass flew about.

And now we will hear all about it.

In a large town, where there were so many people and houses that
there was not room enough for everybody to have gardens, lived
two poor children. They were not brother and sister, but they
loved each other just as much as if they were. Their parents
lived opposite one another in two attics, and out on the leads
they had put two boxes filled with flowers. There were sweet
peas in it, and two rose trees, which grow beautifully, and in
summer the two children were allowed to take their little chairs
and sit out under the roses. Then they had splendid games.

In the winter they could not do this, but then they put hot
pennies against the frozen window-panes, and made round holes to
look at each other through.

His name was Kay, and hers was Gerda.