They were tied to the reindeer , the little robber-girl opened the door , made all the big dogs come away , cut through the halter with her sharp knife , and said to the reindeer , ` Run now ! But take great care of the little girl . ' And Gerda stretched out her hands with the large fur gloves towards the little robber-girl and said , ` Good-bye ! ' Then the reindeer flew over the ground , through the great forest , as fast as he could . The wolves howled , the ravens screamed , the sky seemed on fire . ` Those are my dear old northern lights , ' said the reindeer ; ` see how they shine ! ' And then he ran faster still , day and night . The loaves were eaten , and the sausage also , and then they came to Lapland . They stopped by a wretched little house ; the roof almost touched the ground , and the door was so low that you had to creep in and out . There was no one in the house except an old Lapland woman who was cooking fish over an oil-lamp . The reindeer told Gerda 's whole history , but first he told his own , for that seemed to him much more important , and Gerda was so cold that she could not speak . ` Ah , you poor creatures ! ' said the Lapland woman ; ` you have still further to go ! You must go over a hundred miles into Finland , for there the Snow-queen lives , and every night she burns Bengal lights . I will write some words on a dried stock-fish , for I have no paper , and you must give it to the Finland woman , for she can give you better advice than I can . ' And when Gerda was warmed and had had something to eat and drink , the Lapland woman wrote on a dried stock-fish , and begged Gerda to take care of it , tied Gerda securely on the reindeer 's back , and away they went again . The whole night was ablaze with northern lights , and then they came to Finland and knocked at the Finland woman 's chimney , for door she had none . Inside it was so hot that the Finland woman wore very few clothes ; she loosened Gerda 's clothes and drew off her fur gloves and boots . She laid a piece of ice on the reindeer 's head , and then read what was written on the stock-fish . She read it over three times till she knew it by heart , and then put the fish in the saucepan , for she never wasted anything .
Then the reindeer told his story , and afterwards little Gerda 's and the XXXXX woman blinked her eyes but said nothing .
Bengal Finland Gerda Snow-queen fire first night oil-lamp reindeer stock-fish