and no one could see where they had been.

The old woman was afraid that if Gerda saw the roses she would
begin to think about her own, and then would remember Kay and run
away.

Then she led Gerda out into the garden. How glorious it was, and
what lovely scents filled the air! All the flowers you can think
of blossomed there all the year round.

Gerda jumped for joy and played there till the sun set behind the
tall cherry trees, and then she slept in a beautiful bed with red
silk pillows filled with violets, and she slept soundly and
dreamed as a queen does on her wedding day.

The next day she played again with the flowers in the warm
sunshine, and so many days passed by. Gerda knew every flower,
but although there were so many, it seemed to her as if one were
not there, though she could not remember which.

She was looking one day at the old woman's sun-hat which had hte
painted flowers on it, and there she saw a rose.

The witch had forgotten to make that vanish when she had made the
other roses disappear under the earth. it was so difficult to
think of everything.

'Why, there are no roses here!' cried Gerda,, and she hunted
amongst all the flowers, but not one was to be found. Then she
sat down and cried, but her tears fell just on the spot where a