TSQ-IV By Adrian Mitchell and Nilesh Mistry

 The Snow Queen Fourth Story - retelling by Adrian Mitchell

Illustrated by Nilesh Mistry

(Happy Pisces Season you all!)

::.............

This country has an amazingly clever Princess. She's read all the newspapers in the world and forgotten them all. That's how flapping clever she is.

The other day she was sitting on her throne -- and she thought to herself: I want to be married, but whom to? I want a husband with a mind of his own, not some handsome waxwork. It's all true.

Well, the newspapers printed the Princess's picture on their front pages with a frame of little hearts and announced: any good-looking young man can come to the palace and talk with the Princess. And she'll decide who is the best talker -- and marry him right away.

The Princess would marry the best talker?

Correct. Anyway, crowds of young men appeared. They could talk well enough on the street, but in the palace -- with its guards in silver armour at the door and flunkeys in gold braid on the marble stairs and diamond chandeliers glittering in the great ballroom -- well, they got flustered, flummoxed, and speechless. They all failed on the first two days.

Of course, when they were out in the street again they gabbled so fast that you couldn't hear yourself.

When did he arrive?

On the third day a little fellow strode right up to the palace, bold as a buzzard. His eyes were bright and he had fine, long hair, but his clothes were raggedy.

There was a rucksack on his back.

When he saw the guards in silver armour at the door and the flunkeys in gold braid on the marble stairs, he just gave them a friendly nod and walked on into the ballroom.

The diamond chandeliers were all ablaze. Ministers of State and Ambassadors were walking about in their bare feet, carrying golden dishes to and fro. The boy's boots squeaked dreadfully, but that didn't seem to bother him.

Well, they squeaked like a pocketful of mice! But he marched up to the Princess. She was sitting on a pearl the size of a spinning wheel.

Did he win the Princess?

He was handsome, and clever as a clarinet. He hadn't come to woo the Princess, but just to listen to her wise talking. And he liked her, and she liked him.

"Oh, please take ... to that palace."

"Easier said than done," ... "They won't let ... just walk into the palace."

"... outside, ... out ..."

It was late evening when ... returned. ... "My fiancée says she'll let ... into the palace. She knows a ljttle backstair leading to the Royal Bedroom.

So ... led ... through the palace gardens, along a mile-long avenue lined with giant trees, and round the splendid palace to a little open door at the back near the kitchens.

By the light of a small oil lamp at the bottom of the stairs ...

... "Carry the illumination, please, and I will lead the way."

... picked up the lamp and followed ... through a maze of beautiful rooms. ...

Finally ... stood in the doorway of the Royal Bedroom.

The ceiling was like a great palm-tree with leaves of crystal. In the middle of the room was a tall gold stem and from it hung two beds, like lilies. One of the beds was white; the Princess was sleeping in that one.

The other bed was crimson, and it was there ... turned back one of the crimson petals, ...

... close to his head. The boy turned woke up, and turned his head and --

"What's happening?" called the Princess.

"You poor girl!" said the Prince and Princess. They praised ... and said that they would be rewarded.

"Would you like to .., away and be free ...?" asked the Princess. "Or would you rather be appointed ... to the Court and be paid with all the scraps from the kitchen?"

...

The Prince climbed out of his bed nd let ... sleep in it. ... thought of how kind ... people are! ...

Next day ... was dressed by the ladies-in-waiting in silk and velvet from head to foot, with boots and a fur muff. The Prince and the Princess helped ... into a carriage of pure gold and wished ... farewell and good luck. There were four horses and a coachman, a footman, and outriders.

... stood in the palace gateway ... goodbye for as long as they could still see the coach, glittering like the sun on wheels.

.........

The Robbers' Castle

Rolling along through the heart of a dark forest, ... carriage shone so brightly that the gang of Robbers lurking in ambush were dazzled.

"Gold! Gold!" they screamed, charging out of the bushes. They grabbed the horses' reins, killed the coachman, footman, and outriders ...

...

... into the coach. The robber gang drove deeper into the forest.

...

The coach was driven right into the robbers' castle. Through ragged holes in the walls, ravens and bats flew in and out. In the middle of the floor crackled a smoky fire.

...........

... "How are the Prince and Princess?"

"Who knows?" said the robber girl. "They've gone to foreign parts."

....

Journey to the Snow Queen's Palace

....

PRINCESS' PALACE

... the amazingly clever Princess in her palace.

ROBBERS' CASTLE

... when ... is ambushed by robbers in the deep forest and taken to their ruined castle.