Reading the story with your Child
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Allow your child to read this story to you. If your child does not understand a word or is unable to pronounce it, please assist him/ her by defining or providing the correct pronunciation of the word. Let your child repeat the word a few times. Listen for the correct pronunciation of beginning, middle, and ending sounds.

At the end of the story, ask your child a few questions about the story’s plot. Or, have your child retell the story in his/ her own words. Then, have your child click the "comprehension quiz" button.

The Snow Queen
Page 1


Once upon a time a magician made a magic mirror. In this mirror, a kind face became wicked; a look of hate was reflected as a look of love. One day, however, the mirror broke, and if a sliver of glass from the mirror entered someone's eye, that person's soul became evil, if another pierced a heart, that heart grew hard and cold as ice.  


In a big town two children, called Karl and Gerda were very close friends, and even the sweet pea that grew on Karl's windowsill spread across the street to entwine with Gerda's little rose bush. One evening Karl was watching the snow drift down, when he noticed a white flake slowly turn into a beautiful ice maiden. Karl was startled to hear the ice maiden speak his name, and he was not to know he had set eyes on the Snow Queen. Winter passed, and one spring afternoon, as Karl and Gerda poured over a book, the little boy told her: "I feel a pain in my heart! And something's pricking my eye!"


"Don t worry, said Gerda comfortingly. "I can't see anything!" But, alas, splinters from the shattered mirror had pierced the little boy. 
Now in the grip of the evil spell, he snapped: "You're so ugly!" And ripping two roses from her bush, he ran off. From that day on, Karl turned into a very nasty boy, and nobody could understand what had happened to him to cause such a change. Only Gerda still loved him, though all she got in return were insults and spite. Winter came round again, though earlier than usual, and bringing far more snow than anyone could remember. 

One day, just after going outdoors to play in the snow, Karl saw the beautiful maiden he had seen that night, coming towards him wrapped in a white fur coat. She stood in front of him and told him to tie his sled to her own, drawn by a white horse. Then they sped away. Suddenly, the great sled soared into the sky and through the clouds. Stretched out on his own little sled, Karl didn't dare move a muscle for fear of falling into space. At last, they came to a halt on an immense white plain, dotted with lots of sparkling frozen lakes.


"Come into my arms," said the Snow Queen, opening her soft fur coat. "Come and keep warm!" 


Karl allowed himself to be hugged by the unknown maiden and a chill ran up his spine as two icy lips touched his forehead. The Snow Queen kissed him again, and in an instant, the little boy forgot all about Gerda and his past life, as he fell into a deep sleep.

In the meantime, Gerda was anxiously searching for Karl, but no one had seen him. Finally, she went down to the town's magical Great River.

"Great River," she said, "please tell me if you've seen Karl or if you've carried him away! I'll give you these shoes, if you do!" And she threw her shoes into the river. But the current of the Great River paid no heed and just swept the shoes to the riverbank. Not far away stood an old boat, and Gerda climbed into it. As she drifted with the current, she pleaded: "Great River, silently flowing and knowing all things about men's lives, take me to Karl." 


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