The story tells of a young girl named Gerda who sets out on a journey to find her friend, Kai, who has been kidnapped by the evil Snow Queen.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a wicked troll who made a magic mirror. The mirror had the power to distort everything it reflected, making even the most beautiful things look ugly. The troll was pleased with his creation and wanted to show it to the world, so he flew up to the sky with the mirror, but he accidentally dropped it, shattering it into millions of pieces.
The mirror shards fell all over the earth, and anyone who got a tiny piece in their eye or heart became selfish and mean, seeing only the negative in everything. One day, a young boy named Kai got a splinter in his eye while playing outside, and another shard entered his heart while he was sledding. From that moment, Kai changed, becoming cold and distant, and eventually, he disappeared entirely.
Kai’s friend, a young girl named Gerda, became worried when he didn’t return. She searched everywhere for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Gerda’s grandmother told her about the Snow Queen, a powerful and evil queen who lived in the far North and was known to kidnap children.
Determined to find Kai, Gerda set out on a perilous journey to the North, encountering many challenges and making new friends along the way. She met a talking crow who flew her part of the way, a kind robber girl who gave her a magical reindeer to ride, and a wise old woman who told her how to find the Snow Queen’s palace.
When Gerda finally arrived at the palace, she found Kai there, cold and distant, under the Snow Queen’s spell. Gerda tried to warm Kai up and remind him of their friendship, but he didn’t seem to recognize her, and she realized that she needed to find a way to break the Snow Queen’s spell.
Gerda’s love and kindness eventually melted Kai’s frozen heart, and he was free from the spell. The two friends escaped from the palace, but they soon found themselves in danger again when the Snow Queen chased after them on her sled.
However, Gerda’s love was stronger than the Snow Queen’s magic, and when she embraced Kai, the spell was broken completely. The Snow Queen disappeared, and the children were able to return home, where they were reunited with their families.
Gerda was hailed as a hero for her bravery and determination, and Kai was forever grateful to his friend for rescuing him from the Snow Queen’s spell. They grew up to be happy and loving adults, always remembering the power of true friendship and love.