Armida went in search of the Ice Tiger, the sorcerer who alone could lift the curse from her land and create spring again. But his castle was far away, and before her stretched white and endless fields of snow. Armida was frozen to the bone, the wind leaning against her and slowing her down, and on top of that she was sinking into the snow that was falling at the moment.
“If only there was some way to get across the snowy plain quickly,” sighed the girl. “I’m afraid I’ll freeze before I get there.”
Suddenly, the wolves appeared. They came running, harnessed to the sleigh, and called to Armida, “Armida, don’t be sad. We have come to repay you for feeding us this winter. Get on the sleigh and we’ll take you to the end of the plains.”
And so the wolves carried the kind princess across the long snowfield. At the abyss, which stretched as far as the eye could see, and was so wide that no living creature could leap it, the wolves said good-bye and scattered away.
Armida looked sadly at the depth that opened before her.
“If only I had wings like a bird, I could easily fly over it.”
Suddenly, she heard the clatter of a stork’s beak overhead.
“Armida, we’re flying to your rescue for not letting us freeze in the pond and warming us up, we’ll carry you to the other side!”
Two storks grabbed Armida by the arms and carried her across the chasm.
“Thank you, storks.”
“You’re welcome, girl. Good luck,” the storks wished her luck and flew away.
The lake awaited Armida. The only lucky thing was that it was frozen. Armida put on the skates the merchant had given her for saving his daughter and stood up. But no sooner had she bounced than she slipped and sat with her butt on the hard ice.
“Yay, it’s harder than it looks.”
Armida picked up a stick to prop herself up. But after a while she didn’t need it anymore, because she learned to stand on her skates and go forward. She took off across the ice. As she glided, the island with the castle began to appear before her. She was almost there.
She skated to the island, changed her boots and headed for the castle. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. The door opened by itself with a creak. Armida walked in. The corridors led her to the throne room, where a tiger sat on a throne.
“What do you want? And how did you get here?” growled the tiger.
“I am Armida, and I have come to save our kingdom. Please bring spring back to it.”
“This is punishment for the king and his soldiers luring me into a trap many years ago and leaving me to freeze into a block of ice. A punishment he deserves.”
“But don’t punish everyone. Innocent people and animals suffer too. And why don’t you turn into a king?”
The tiger growled. Finally, he snorted and admitted: “I don’t know how. I forgot how to transform back in all the years I was an ice cube.”
Armida told the tiger all the things she had seen on the way here, how she had helped the animals and the humans, and how they had repaid her. They were the reason she had made it this far.
“Did you come all this way to ask me for spring?”
“I came for you, too. You’re still my birthday present,” Armida smiled.
“A present then,” the tiger giggled. “But okay, I’ll give spring back to your country. Without you, I’d still be an ice cube.”
The tiger wagged his tail and sent a spell that flew all the way to Princess Armida’s land. It melted all the ice and snow, let the sun peek out from behind the clouds, and left behind warmth and spring flowers.
“But you will stay here with me now and become my bride. Otherwise, winter will return to your kingdom.”
“Very well.”
Soon a strange wedding took place. Princess Armida married an ice tiger. When she kissed him, he turned into a handsome young man. Only his tiger eyes remained. It was those eyes that made Armida let him thaw out of the ice that day. The celebrations lasted another week, and the Ice Tiger decided to let the four seasons change in his land – spring, summer, autumn and winter. Because they are all as beautiful and kind as his beloved Princess Armida.
And so the Ice Tiger and Armida lived happily ever after.
