First Story: an evil demon makes a mirror that has the power of making everything good that was reflected in it almost shrink to nothing, while eveything worthless and bad increase in size and worse than ever. While taking it to heaven to see the angels, he dropped it and it fell and was broken into millions of pieces.

The second story: A boy called Kay gets a piece of mirror lodged in his eye and in his heart. He begins to see the bad in everything, and becomes mean and teases his friend Gerda. He is taken by the Snow Queen who kisses him so that he forgets about his family and about Gerda.

The third story: Gerda goes to look for Kay in the spring, and by autumn she still has not found him.

The fourth story: A crow tells Gerda that he has seen Kay at the palace. It was a mistake, but the prince and princess give her provisions for her journey.

The fifth story: Gerda is set upon by robbers, and saved by a little robber girl. Some wood pigeons tell Gerda about Kay and the Snow Queen. The little robber girl sets Gerda free and tells the reindeer to carry Gerda to Lapland.

The sixth story: Gerda reaches Lapland and is told to go to Finland. A Finland woman tells Gerda about the pieces of broken glass. Gerda arrives at the Snow Queen's palace.

The seventh story: Gerda finds Kay alone in the palace. He sits still and cold, and she puts her arms around him and weeps hot tears which wash away the glass in his heart. She sings to him and he weeps and washes away the glass in his eye. And they went home.