The SnowQueen by Dulac

"A few flakes of snow were falling, and one of them, rather larger than the rest, alighted on the edge of one of the flower boxes. This snow-flake grew larger and larger, till at last it became the figure of a woman, dressed in garments of white gauze, which looked like millions of starry snow-flakes linked together. She was fair and beautiful, but made of ice—shining and glittering ice. Still she was alive and her eyes sparkled like bright stars, but there was neither peace nor rest in their glance. She nodded towards the window and waved her hand. The little boy was frightened and sprang from the chair; at the same moment it seemed as if a large bird flew by the window."

Even as child, I loved the Snow Queen best of the characters in the story. I felt sad for her, living all alone in her palace of ice. So alone, that she has to kidnap Kay. Was this her attempt at finding love? Hans Christian Anderson did not write about what happened after Kay and Gerda left the ice palace. How did the Queen feel when she returned and found that Kay was gone? I often wondered. Gerda had so many friends and so many creatures who loved her and the Queen had only Kay. What do you think?

The other famous Snow Queen was the infamous White Queen, or Witch, of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", by CS Lewis. She is also named Jadis. Like the Snow Queen, she rode in a sleigh and seduced a boy, Edmund, with promises of power and riches. However, the Snow Queen is not evil, more heartless, or cold-hearted. She represents adulthood, and the world of science, against the world of faith and innocent childhood.