Hans Christian Andersen’s tale in which Gerda rescues Kai from an icy queen is The Snow Queen. Andersen published it in 1844.
The story begins with a magical mirror whose fragments distort everything they reflect. A shard enters Kai’s eye and another reaches his heart, making him cold and unable to value friendship. The Snow Queen then takes him to her palace in the far north.
Gerda travels through a sequence of unusual encounters to find him. She meets a sorceress, a talking crow, a prince and princess, a robber girl, and reindeer that help her reach the Snow Queen’s domain. Her love and persistence eventually break the spell over Kai.
The Snow Queen is structured in seven stories rather than a single straightforward episode. Its combination of adventure, symbolism, and emotional loyalty helped make it one of Andersen’s most influential works. Modern adaptations often shorten or alter the plot, but Gerda and Kai remain central to the original tale.