"the snow queen" is a literary fairy tale by hans christian andersen. it was first published 21 december 1844 with "the fir tree" in "new fairy tales" "(nye eventyr)". it is one of andersen's longest stories and is divided into seven chapters. it tells the story of a mirror fashioned by demons that is shattered. a piece of the glass enters the eye and the heart of a little boy named kai. he is carried by the snow queen to her palace in the far north. he is rescued by his friend gerda. his vision and his heart are restored. the story was adapted to movies and television. it is also in the book the land of stories the enchantress returns.