She told Gerda not to be sad , and that she should stay with her and take of the cherry trees and flowers , which were better than any picture-bok , as they could each tell a story . She then took Gerda 's hand and led her into the little house and shut the door . The windows were very high , and the panes were red , blue , and yellow , so that the light came through in curious colours . On the table were the most delicious cherries , and the old woman let Gerda eat as many as she liked , while she combed her hair with a gold comb as she ate . The beautiful sunny hair rippled and shone round the dear little face , which was so soft and sweet . ' I have always longed to have a dear little girl just like you , and you shall see how happy we will be together . ' And as she combed Gerda 's hair , Gerda thought less and less about Kay , for the old woman was a witch , but not a wicked witch , for she only enchanted now and then to amuse herself , and she did want to keep little Gerda very much . So she went into the garden and waved her stick over all the rose bushes and blossoms and all ; they sank down into the black earth , and no one could see where they had been . The old woman was afraid that if Gerda saw the roses she would begin to think about her own , and then would remember Kay and run away . Then she led Gerda out into the garden . How glorious it was , and what lovely scents filled the air ! All the flowers you can think of blossomed there all the year round . Gerda jumped for joy and played there till the sun set behind the tall cherry trees , and then she slept in a beautiful bed with red silk pillows filled with violets , and she slept soundly and dreamed as a queen does on her wedding day . The next day she played again with the flowers in the warm sunshine , and so many days passed by . Gerda knew every flower , but although there were so many , it seemed to her as if one were not there , though she could not remember which . She was looking one day at the old woman 's sun-hat which had hte painted flowers on it , and there she saw a rose . The witch had forgotten to make that vanish when she had made the other roses disappear under the earth . it was so difficult to think of everything . ` Why , there are no roses here ! ' cried Gerda , , and she hunted amongst all the flowers , but not one was to be found .
Then she sat down and cried , but her tears fell just on the spot where a rose bush had sunk , and when her warm tears watered the earth , the bush came up XXXXX full bloom just as it had been before .
So about by in into of on over that with