The word alone Gerda understood very well,and knew how much it expressed.So then she told the crow the whole story of her life and adventures,and asked him if he had seen little Kay.
The crow nodded his head very gravely,and said,“Perhaps I have—it may be.”
“No!Do you think you have?”cried little Gerda,and she kissed the crow,and hugged him almost to death with joy.
“Gently,gently,”said the crow.“I believe I know.I think it may be little Kay;but he has certainly forgotten you by this time for the princess.”
“Does he live with a princess?”asked Gerda.
“Yes,listen,”replied the crow,“but it is so difficult to speak your language.If you understand the crows'language then I can explain it better.Do you?”
“No,I have never learnt it,”said Gerda,“but my grandmother understands it,and used to speak it to me.I wish I had learnt it.”
“It does not matter,”answered the crow;“I will explain as well as I can,although it will be very badly done;”and he told her what he had heard.“In this kingdom where we now are,”said he,“there lives a princess,who is so wonderfully clever that she has read all the newspapers in the world,and forgotten them too,although she is so clever.A short time ago,as she was sitting on her throne,which people say is not such an agreeable seat as is often supposed,she began to sing a song which commences in these words:
‘Why should I not be married?’
‘Why not indeed?’said she,and so she determined to marry if she could find a husband who knew what to say when he was spoken to,and not one who could only look grand,for that was so tiresome.Then she assembled all her court ladies together at the beat of the drum,and when they heard of her intentions they were very much pleased.‘We are so glad to hear it,’said they,‘we were talking about it ourselves the other day.’You may believe that every word I tell you is true,”said the crow,“for I have a tame sweetheart who goes freely about the palace,and she told me all this.”
Of course his sweetheart was a crow,for “birds of a feather flock together,”and one crow always chooses another crow.