The Snow Queen Story

This is a rewritten version of The Snow Queen based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale rewrite by Ken Setterington - for original audience grade two ELL students

1. Once%upon%a%time,%there%was%an%evil%magician.%He%made%a%magical%mirror%that%made%everything%good%and%
beautiful%look%bad%and%ugly.%If%a%kind%person%looked%into%the%mirror,%than%the%reflection%was%hideous.%If%a%
person%had%a%kind%thought,%then%an%ugly%smile%would%appear.%The%mirror%would%laugh%meanly%at%nice%
people,%and%the%magician%would%laugh%because%he%thought%he%was%so%smart.%“This%mirror%is%so%much%fun,”%
he%would%say.%%
But%then%one%day,%the%mirror%broke%into%a%million%pieces.%Those%pieces%caused%more%unhappiness,%as%they%
were%spread%around%the%world%by%the%wind.%When%a%piece%got%into%someone’s%eye,%it%made%him%see%the%
world%as%bad.%If%a%piece%of%the%mirror%went%into%someone’s%heart,%their%heart%became%like%ice.%%
There%once%lived%a%little%boy%and%a%girl,%who%grew%up%to%be%good%friends.%They%played%in%the%rose%garden%
all%the%time.%The%little%boy%was%called%Kay%and%the%girl’s%name%was%Gerda.%Kay%lived%with%his%grandmother.%
One%day%the%snow%was%coming%down%hard,%and%Kay%asked%“Is%there%a%queen%of%the%snow?”%His%
grandmother%said%“Oh%yes,%The%Snow%Queen.%On%winter%nights%she%flies%through%the%streets%and%looks%
through%the%windows.”%
“Could%The%Snow%Queen%come%in%here?”%asked%Gerda.%%
“Let%her%try,”%said%the%boy,%Kay.%“I%will%push%her%into%the%stove,%and%she%will%melt%because%she%is%made%of%
snow.”%
That%night%when%Kay%was%getting%ready%for%bed,%he%looked%out%the%window.%He%saw%a%snowflake%that%was%
small%at%first,%and%then%it%gradually%got%bigger%until%it%was%the%size%of%a%woman.%She%was%made%of%ice%and%
had%bright%eyes.%Kay%was%frightened%and%jumped%back%from%the%window.%The%next%day%there%was%more%
snow,%and%then%spring%came.%The%birds%came%back%and%the%windows%were%open%again.%%
When%it%was%summer,%Kay%and%Gerda%sat%reading%a%book.%Then%Kay%cried%out,%“ouch,%something%has%hurt%
my%heart.”%Then%he%said%“ouch,%something%has%hurt%my%eye.”%Gerda%looked%into%his%eyes,%but%didn’t%see%
anything.%%
“I%think%it’s%gone”%Kay%said,%but%it%was%not.%It%was%a%piece%from%the%mirror.%The%pain%was%gone,%but%the%
piece%of%the%mirror%remained.%It%made%everything%good%look%bad.%Kay%also%had%a%piece%in%his%heart,%and%
his%heart%grew%cold%and%would%soon%become%like%a%piece%of%ice.%%
From%then%on,%when%he%saw%flowers%he%said%they%were%ugly.%Whenever%his%grandma%tried%to%tell%him%
lovely%stories,%he%would%argue%with%her.%Whenever%anyone%came%to%the%house%he%would%make%fun%of%his%
grandma.%Because%of%the%pieces%of%the%mirror%in%his%eye,%he%hurt%everyone,%including%his%best%friend%
Gerda.%%
He%stopped%playing%with%Gerda.%Stopped%thinking%the%flowers%were%pretty%and%started%thinking%that%snow%
was%more%beautiful%than%flowers%ever%could%be.%

2. One%day%he%shouted%to%Gerda%that%he%was%going%to%play%in%the%snow%on%his%sled%and%Gerda%could%not%
come.%%It%was%there%that%a%woman%on%a%big%white%sleigh%came%and%kidnapped%him,%taking%him%away%to%a%
big%ice%castle.%When%they%stopped,%she%invited%him%to%get%under%her%blanket,%and%touched%his%forehead.%%
“You%feel%cold”%he%said.%He%thought%he%would%die,%but%he%was%only%cold%for%a%minute,%and%then%he%felt%
warm.%He%forgot%about%Gerda,%his%grandmother%and%home.%%
Kay%looked%at%the%Snow%Queen.%She%was%so%beautiful%and%perfect.%He%was%no%longer%afraid.%The%Snow%
Queen%smiled%at%him,%and%Kay%fell%asleep%under%his%warm%blanket%beside%the%Snow%Queen.%%
Gerda%didn’t%know%where%Kay%was.%Where%did%he%go?%No%one%knew.%But%some%of%the%boys%Kay%was%
sledding%with%when%he%was%kidnapped,%said%they%saw%a%white%woman%on%a%white%sleigh.%Others%said%that%
he%may%have%drowned%in%the%river%because%the%water%was%so%cold%and%Kay%could%not%swim.%Gerda%cried.%It%
was%a%long,%cold%winter.%
Finally%spring%came.%Gerda%said%“Kay%is%dead%and%gone”%%
“We%don’t%believe%that”%said%the%sun.%“Neither%do%we”%said%the%birds.%%
Gerda%wondered%what%she%could%do%or%who%she%could%ask.%She%decided%to%put%on%her%shoes%and%go%to%the%
river%to%ask%about%her%friend,%Kay.%
“Is%it%true%you%have%taken%my%friend?”%she%asked%the%river.%“I%will%give%you%my%beautiful%shoes%if%you%give%
him%back%to%me.”%She%threw%her%shoes%in%the%river,%but%the%river%would%not%take%them.%Then%she%got%into%
a%boat,%and%it%started%to%float%away.%Gerda%was%scared%as%the%boat%went%faster%and%faster%down%the%river,%
but%she%was%wondering%if%the%river%was%taking%her%to%Kay.%She%watched%the%beautiful%landscape.%
She%saw%a%house,%and%an%old%woman%pulled%the%boat%ashore%with%her%stick.%“Poor%child.%What%a%long%way%
the%river%has%carried%you.”%Said%the%old%woman.%%“Tell%me%who%you%are%and%how%you%got%here.”%
Gerda%told%her%everything,%and%asked%her%if%she%had%seen%little%Kay.%The%old%woman%said%“no”%but%that%he%
would%come%soon,%and%in%the%meantime%Gerda%should%eat%some%cherries%and%come%into%her%house.%The%
old%woman%combed%her%hair,%“Oh,%I%have%wanted%a%little%girl%like%you%for%a%long%time.%What%good%friends%
we%shall%be.”%Gerda%thought%less%and%less%about%Kay%while%her%hair%was%being%combed.%%
The%old%woman%was%a%witch,%but%she%wasn’t%a%bad%witch.%She%just%wanted%to%keep%Gerda.%She%took%Gerda%
out%into%the%garden%where%she%played.%%
Gerda%thought%there%was%something%missing,%but%could%not%sense%what%it%was.%One%day%she%saw%the%old%
woman’s%hat%had%a%rose%on%it,%and%she%remembered%Kay.%She%cried.%%
“I%have%stayed%here%for%too%long”%she%cried.%“I%left%home%to%search%for%Kay.%Do%you%know%where%he%is?%Is%
he%dead?”%
The%old%woman%used%her%magic%powers.%“He%is%not%dead”%she%said.%%
“Oh%thank%you!”%She%said.%

3. The%old%woman%was%sad%to%see%Gerda%go,%but%knew%she%missed%her%best%friend.%
“I%need%to%go%find%Kay”%said%Gerda.%
It%was%winter%now,%and%Gerda%needed%to%stop%and%rest.%While%she%was%resting%a%bird%came%down%from%the%
sky.%
“Caw,%Caw,%good%day,%good%day.”%%
Gerda%told%the%bird%her%story%and%asked%if%he%had%seen%Kay.%%
The%raven%sad%“I%may%have,%it%is%possible.”%
“Oh,%he%is%alive!”%said%Gerda.%She%hugged%the%bird%tight.%
“Gently,%gently.”%Said%the%Raven.%%“I%have%seen%Kay,%but%I%think%he%has%forgotten%you%because%of%a%
princess.”%
“A%princess?%Does%he%live%with%a%princess?”%
The%bird%told%her%everything.%“I%remember%a%boy,%he%was%wearing%boots%and%he%thought%the%princess%was%
so%beautiful.%He%went%to%her%castle%to%try%and%live%there.%I%think%he%lives%there%now.”%
“Can%you%take%me%to%him?”%she%asked.%%
“I’ll%see%what%I%can%do.”%%
And%so%the%bird%flew%off,%and%then%came%back%later%that%day.%Gerda%snuck%into%the%palace.%She%saw%a%boy%
sleeping%on%a%bed,%but%then%when%she%saw%the%boy’s%face%she%said%“oh,%I’m%so%sad,%that%is%not%my%friend.”%
Just%then%the%princess,%woke%up.%At%first%she%was%afraid%because%there%was%a%stranger%in%her%castle.%But%
Gerda%explained%“I’m%sorry.%My%friend%has%been%taken%and%I%have%been%trying%to%find%him%for%more%than%
one%year.%I%am%tired%and%hungry%and%I%have%no%shoes”%
“Please%sleep%here,”%said%the%princess.%“Tomorrow%you%can%go,%and%I%will%give%you%things%that%might%help%
you.”%
So%Gerda%left%on%the%next%day%with%new%clothes%and%a%carriage%with%a%horse.%But%soon%%after%she%left,%a%
robber%family%saw%her.%They%stopped%to%carriage,%and%stole%some%of%her%pretty%new%clothes.%%
“I%like%this%scarf,”%said%one%of%the%robbers.%“I%think%it%will%keep%it,%but%I%also%like%you%so%come%with%me%and%
you%will%live%with%me.”%
Gerda%came%because%she%was%scared.%When%she%got%to%the%robber’s%house,%the%girl%said,%“don’t%you%dare%
run%away,%or%else%I%will%have%one%of%my%dogs%hurt%you%badly.”%
When%the%girl%left%the%room,%Gerda%started%talking%with%a%pigeon.%The%pigeon%said,%“I%have%seen%your%
friend%Kay,%he%was%riding%north%on%a%sleigh.”%

4. “But%how%do%I%get%there?”%asked%Gerda.%%
“I%would%ask%the%reindeer.%He%knows%about%the%north.”%
She%walked%over%to%the%reindeer.%“Reindeer,%do%you%know%what%is%north%of%here?”%
“Yes,%it%is%Lapland.%I%grew%up%there!%Lapland%is%beautiful!”%
“Could%you%take%me%there?%Would%you%let%me%ride%you?”%
“Well%my%master%would%have%to%let%me%go.”%
The%robber%came%back%in,%and%Gerda%explained,%“I%have%to%get%to%my%friend%Kay.%He%was%taken%away%and%
is%now%up%north.%He%is%my%best%friend%and%I’m%worried%that%he%might%be%in%danger!”%
“Ok”%she%said.%“I%can%see%that%you%like%your%friend%a%lot,%I%will%let%you%go%and%you%can%even%use%my%
reindeer,%but%you%have%to%let%me%keep%your%hat%and%scarf.”%
“That’s%fine,”%she%agreed.%
So%she%and%the%reindeer%were%off%to%the%north,%to%go%to%the%Lapland%and%find%Kay.%They%travelled%for%many%
miles%together,%until%a%magical%old%woman%invited%them%inside%her%house.%%
“Please%come%in,%and%have%some%fish.”%She%said.%Gerda%and%the%reindeer%did.%
“What%brings%you%so%far%up%north?”%said%the%woman.%
Gerda%explained%that%she%was%trying%to%find%her%friend%Kay.%
“Oh%you%poor%dear,”%said%the%old%woman.%
“Please”%said%the%reindeer.%“Can%you%give%Gerda%a%potion,%some%kind%of%magic%soup%that%will%make%her%as%
strong%as%twelve%men?”%
“It%will%be%no%use,”%said%the%old%woman.%“That%boy,%Kay,%has%a%magic%piece%of%evil%mirror%in%his%heart.%He%
thinks%he%is%happy%with%the%queen,%and%you%can’t%change%his%mind.%Even%if%you%try%to%make%the%boy%leave,%
he%will%want%to%stay%with%The%Ice%Queen,%in%her%castle.”%
“Can’t%you%give%Gerda%something%else%to%take%out%the%glass?”%asked%the%reindeer.%
“That%girl%already%has%great%power.%Why%else%would%the%river,%the%sun%and%animals%help%her?%She%has%a%
pure%and%loving%heart%and%with%that%power%she%can%free%Kay.”%
The%Reindeer%took%her%to%the%castle,%and%left%her%there.%%
She%saw%two%snowflakes,%that%were%getting%larger%and%larger.%They%became%the%queen’s%giant%ice%monster%
body%guards.%She%touched%them%and%they%broke%into%pieces.%%

5. The%walls%of%the%castle%were%made%of%snow.%There%were%hundreds%of%rooms%but%most%were%empty%and%
cold.%In%the%middle%of%the%palace%was%a%large%frozen%lake.%When%the%snow%queen%was%home%her%throne%
was%in%the%middle%of%the%lake.%She%thought%the%lake%was%the%best%mirror%in%the%world.%%
Kay%was%black%and%blue%with%cold,%but%couldn’t%feel%it.%He%felt%warm,%even%though%his%body%was%cold.%His%
heart%was%already%ice.%%
The%queen%had%left%to%visit%warmer%countries,%since%she%liked%to%put%snow%on%the%top%of%mountains%in%
warm%countries.%She%left%Kay%sitting%all%alone%on%the%frozen%lake.%%
The%winds%blew%terribly%as%Gerda%entered%the%castle.%She%entered%the%front%and%say%Kay.%“Kay,%Kay,%at%last%
I%have%found%you!”%She%hugged%him,%but%Kay%sat%cold%and%stiff.%Gerda%cried,%and%her%warm%tears%fell%onto%
Kay’s%chest%and%warmed%his%heart.%Gerda%looked%at%him,%hoping%he%would%remember%how%they%were%
friends.%Then%Kay%looked%at%her%and%cried%so%much%that%the%piece%of%mirror%in%his%eye%was%washed%out.%
“Gerda,%my%good%friend.%Where%have%you%been?”%He%looked%around%and%asked%“Where%have%I%been?%It’s%
so%cold%in%here.”%Gerda%was%laughing%and%crying%at%the%same%time.%They%left%the%Snow%Queen’s%palace.%
The%sun%came%out%and%the%wind%returned%to%normal.%The%reindeer%was%waiting%for%them.%He%brought%
another%reindeer%that%had%warm%milk.%They%drank%and%then%rode%off%to%the%magic%old%woman’s%house.%
She%gave%them%a%meal%of%warm%fish.%Then%they%left%her%house%and%rode%her%sled.%
They%rode%the%sled%all%the%way%home,%and%lived%happily%ever%after%in%their%home,%playing%together%and%
enjoying%the%roses%in%the%summer.%
%