’Look，’hesaid，’atthewaterwhichliesfaroutyonder，andtheplainswhichstretchbeyond。ThatistheLandofSouls，butnomanentersitwithoutleavinghisbodybehindhim。So，laydownyourbodyhere；yourbowandarrows，yourskinandyourdog。
Theyshallbekeptforyousafely。’
Thenheturnedaway，andtheyoungchief，lightasair，seemedhardlytotouchtheground；andasheflewalongthescentsgrewsweeterandtheflowersmorebeautiful，whiletheanimalsrubbedtheirnosesagainsthim，insteadofhidingasheapproached，andbirdscircledroundhim，andfisheslifteduptheirheadsandlookedashewentby。Verysoonhenoticedwithwonder，thatneitherrocksnortreesbarredhispath。Hepassedthroughthemwithoutknowingit，forindeed，theywerenotrocksandtreesatall，butonlythesoulsofthem；forthiswastheLandofShadows。
Sohewentonwithwingedfeettillhecametotheshoresofagreatlake，withalovelyislandinthemiddleofit；whileonthebankofthelakewasacanoeofglitteringstone，andinthecanoeweretwoshiningpaddles。
Thechiefjumpedstraightintothecanoe，andseizingthepaddlespushedofffromtheshore，whentohisjoyandwonderhesawfollowinghiminanothercanoeexactlylikehisownthemaidenforwhosesakehehadmadethislongjourney。Buttheycouldnottoucheachother，forbetweenthemrolledgreatwaves，whichlookedasiftheywouldsinktheboats，yetneverdid。Andtheyoungmanandthemaidenshrankwithfear，fordowninthedepthsofthewatertheysawthebonesofthosewhohaddiedbefore，andinthewavesthemselvesmenandwomenwerestruggling，andbutfewpassedover。Onlythechildrenhadnofear，andreachedtheothersideinsafety。Still，thoughthechiefandtheyounggirlquailedinterroratthesehorriblesightsandsounds，noharmcametothem，fortheirliveshadbeenfreefromevil，andtheMasterofLifehadsaidthatnoevilshouldhappenuntothem。SotheyreachedunhurttheshoreoftheHappyIsland，andwanderedthroughthefloweryfieldsandbythebanksofrushingstreams，andtheyknewnothungernorthirst；neithercoldnorheat。Theairfedthemandthesunwarmedthem，andtheyforgotthedead，fortheysawnograves，andtheyoungman’sthoughtsturnednottowars，neithertothehuntingofanimals。Andgladlywouldthesetwohavewalkedthusforever，butinthemurmurofthewindheheardtheMasterofLifesayingtohim，’Returnwhitheryoucame，forIhaveworkforyoutodo，andyourpeopleneedyou，andformanyyearsyoushallruleoverthem。Atthegatemymessengerawaitsyou，andyoushalltakeagainyourbodywhichyouleftbehind，andhewillshowyouwhatyouaretodo。Listentohim，andhavepatience，andintimetocomeyoushallrejoinherwhomyoumustnowleave，forsheisaccepted，andwillremaineveryoungandbeautiful，aswhenIcalledherhencefromtheLandofSnows。’
OnceuponatimeagreatandpowerfulKingmarriedalovelyPrincess。Nocouplewereeversohappy；butbeforetheirhoneymoonwasovertheywereforcedtopart，fortheKinghadtogoonawarlikeexpeditiontoafarcountry，andleavehisyoungwifealoneathome。Bitterwerethetearssheshed，whileherhusbandsoughtinvaintosootheherwithwordsofcomfortandcounsel，warningher，aboveallthings，nevertoleavethecastle，toholdnointercoursewithstrangers，tobewareofevilcounsellors，andespeciallytobeonherguardagainststrangewomen。AndtheQueenpromisedfaithfullytoobeyherroyallordandmasterinthesefourmatters。
SowhentheKingsetoutonhisexpeditionsheshutherselfupwithherladiesinherownapartments，andspenthertimeinspinningandweaving，andinthinkingofherroyalhusband。
Oftenshewasverysadandlonely，andithappenedthatonedaywhileshewasseatedatthewindow，lettingsalttearsdroponherwork，anoldwoman，akind，homely-lookingoldbody，steppeduptothewindow，and，leaninguponhercrutch，addressedtheQueeninfriendly，flatteringtones，saying:
’Whyareyousadandcastdown，fairQueen？Youshouldnotmopealldayinyourrooms，butshouldcomeoutintothegreengarden，andhearthebirdssingwithjoyamongthetrees，andseethebutterfliesflutteringabovetheflowers，andhearthebeesandinsectshum，andwatchthesunbeamschasethedew-dropsthroughtherose-leavesandinthelily-cups。Allthebrightnessoutsidewouldhelptodriveawayyourcares，OQueen。’
ForlongtheQueenresistedhercoaxingwords，rememberingthepromiseshehadgiventheKing，herhusband；butatlastshethoughttoherself:Afterall，whatharmwoulditdoifIweretogointothegardenforashorttimeandenjoymyselfamongthetreesandflowers，andthesingingbirdsandflutteringbutterfliesandhumminginsects，andlookatthedew-dropshidingfromthesunbeamsintheheartsoftherosesandlilies，andwanderaboutinthesunshine，insteadofremainingalldayinthisroom？Forshehadnoideathatthekind-lookingoldwomanleaningonhercrutchwasinrealityawickedwitch，whoenviedtheQueenhergoodfortune，andwasdeterminedtoruinher。Andso，inallignorance，theQueenfollowedheroutintothegardenandlistenedtohersmooth，flatteringwords。Now，inthemiddleofthegardentherewasapondofwater，clearascrystal，andtheoldwomansaidtotheQueen:
’Thedayissowarm，andthesun’srayssoscorching，thatthewaterinthepondlooksverycoolandinviting。Wouldyounotliketobatheinit，fairQueen？’
’No，Ithinknot，’answeredtheQueen；butthenextmomentsheregrettedherwords，andthoughttoherself:Whyshouldn’tI
batheinthatcool，freshwater？Noharmcouldcomeofit。And，sosaying，sheslippedoffherrobesandsteppedintothewater。
Butscarcelyhadhertenderfeettouchedthecoolrippleswhenshefeltagreatshoveonhershoulders，andthewickedwitchhadpushedherintothedeepwater，exclaiming:
’Swimhenceforth，WhiteDuck！’
AndthewitchherselfassumedtheformoftheQueen，anddeckedherselfoutintheroyalrobes，andsatamongtheCourtladies，awaitingtheKing’sreturn。Andsuddenlythetrampofhorses’
hoofswasheard，andthebarkingofdogs，andthewitchhastenedforwardtomeettheroyalcarriages，and，throwingherarmsroundtheKing’sneck，kissedhim。AndinhisgreatjoytheKingdidnotknowthatthewomanheheldinhisarmswasnothisowndearwife，butawickedwitch。
Inthemeantime，outsidethepalacewalls，thepoorWhiteDuckswamupanddownthepond；andnearitlaidthreeeggs，outofwhichtherecameonemorningtwolittlefluffyducklingsandalittleuglydrake。AndtheWhiteDuckbroughtthelittlecreaturesup，andtheypaddledafterherinthepond，andcaughtgold-fish，andhoppeduponthebankandwaddledabout，rufflingtheirfeathersandsaying’Quack，quack’astheystruttedaboutonthegreenbanksofthepond。Buttheirmotherusedtowarnthemnottostraytoofar，tellingthemthatawickedwitchlivedinthecastlebeyondthegarden，adding，’Shehasruinedme，andshewilldoherbesttoruinyou。’Buttheyoungonesdidnotlistentotheirmother，and，playingaboutthegardenoneday，theystrayedcloseuptothecastlewindows。Thewitchatoncerecognisedthembytheirsmell，andgroundherteethwithanger；
butshehidherfeelings，and，pretendingtobeverykindshecalledthemtoherandjokedwiththem，andledthemintoabeautifulroom，whereshegavethemfoodtoeat，andshowedthemasoftcushiononwhichtheymightsleep。Thensheleftthemandwentdownintothepalacekitchens，whereshetoldtheservantstosharpentheknives，andtomakeagreatfireready，andhangalargekettlefulofwateroverit。
Inthemeantimethetwolittleducklingshadfallenasleep，andthelittledrakelaybetweenthem，coveredupbytheirwings，tobekeptwarmundertheirfeathers。Butthelittledrakecouldnotgotosleep，andashelaytherewideawakeinthenightheheardthewitchcometothedoorandsay:
’Littleones，areyouasleep？’
Andthelittledrakeansweredfortheothertwo:
’Wecannotsleep，wewakeandweep，Sharpistheknife，totakeourlife；
Thefireishot，nowboilsthepot，Andsowewake，andlieandquake。’
’Theyarenotasleepyet，’mutteredthewitchtoherself；andshewalkedupanddowninthepassage，andthencamebacktothedoor，andsaid:
’Littleones，areyouasleep？’
Andagainthelittledrakeansweredforhissisters:
’Wecannotsleep，wewakeandweep，Sharpistheknife，totakeourlife；
Thefireishot，nowboilsthepot，Andsowewake，andlieandquake。’
’Justthesameanswer，’mutteredthewitch；’IthinkI’llgoinandsee。’Sosheopenedthedoorgently，andseeingthetwolittleducklingssoundasleep，shethereandthenkilledthem。
ThenextmorningtheWhiteDuckwanderedroundthepondinadistractedmanner，lookingforherlittleones；shecalledandshesearched，butcouldfindnotraceofthem。Andinherheartshehadaforebodingthatevilhadbefallenthem，andsheflutteredupoutofthewaterandflewtothepalace。Andthere，laidoutonthemarblefloorofthecourt，deadandstonecold，wereherthreechildren。TheWhiteDuckthrewherselfuponthem，and，coveringuptheirlittlebodieswithherwings，shecried:
’Quack，quack——mylittleloves！
Quack，quack——myturtle-doves！
Ibroughtyouupwithgriefandpain，Andnowbeforemyeyesyou’reslain。
Igaveyoualwaysofthebest；
Ikeptyouwarminmysoftnest。
Ilovedandwatchedyoudayandnight——
Youweremyjoy，myonedelight。’
TheKingheardthesadcomplaintoftheWhiteDuck，andcalledtothewitch:’Wife，whatawonderisthis？ListentothatWhiteDuck。’
Butthewitchanswered，’Mydearhusband，whatdoyoumean？
Thereisnothingwonderfulinaduck’squacking。Here，servants！
