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Little Snow White
Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when theflakes of snow were falling like feathers from thesky,
a queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame ofthe window was made of black ebony.
And whilst she was sewing and looking out of thewindow at the snow,
she pricked her finger with the needle, and threedrops of blood fell upon the snow.
And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, andshe thought to herself,
Would that I had a child as white as snow, as redas blood, and as black as the wood of the windowframe.
Soon after that she had a little daughter, who wasas white as snow, and as red as blood,
and her hair was as black as ebony, and she wastherefore called Little Snow White.
And when the child was born, the queen died.
After a year had passed the king took to himselfanother wife.
She was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty,
and she could not bear that anyone else shouldsurpass her in beauty.
She had a wonderful looking-glass, and when shestood in front of it and looked at herself in it,and said,
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
The looking-glass answered,
Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all.
Then she was satisfied, for she knew that thelooking-glass spoke the truth.
But Snow White was growing up, and grew more andmore beautiful,
and when she was seven years old she was asbeautiful as the day,
and more beautiful than the queen herself.
And once when the queen asked her looking-glass,
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
It answered,
Thou art fairer than all who are here, Lady Queen.
But more beautiful still is Snow White, as I wean.
Then the queen was shocked, and turned yellow andgreen with envy.
From that hour, whenever she looked at Snow White,her heart heaved in her breast, she hated the girlso much.
And envy and pride grew higher and higher in herheart like a weed, so that she had no peace day ornight.
She called a huntsman, and said, Take the childaway into the forest, I will no longer have her inmy sight.
Kill her, and bring me back her heart as a token.
The huntsman obeyed, and took her away, but whenhe had drawn his knife,
and was about to pierce Snow White's innocentheart, she began to weep, and said,
Ah dear huntsman, leave me my life.
I will run away into the wild forest, and nevercome home again.
And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pityon her and said,
Run away, then, you poor child.
The wild beast will soon have devoured you,thought he,
And yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolledfrom his heart since it was no longer needful forhim to kill her.
And as a young boar just then came running by hestabbed it,
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and cut out its heart and took it to the queen asproof that the child was dead.
The cook had to salt this, and the wicked queenate it, and thought she had eaten the heart ofSnow White.
But now the poor child was all alone in the greatforest, and so terrified that she looked at everyleaf of every tree,
and did not know what to do.
Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stonesand through thorns,
and the wild beast ran past her, but did her noharm.
She ran as long as her feet would go until it wasalmost evening,
then she saw a little cottage and went into it torest herself.
Everything in the cottage was small, but neaterand cleaner than can be told.
There was a table on which was a white cover, andseven little plates, and on each plate a littlespoon,
moreover, there were seven little knives andforks, and seven little mugs.
Against the wall stood seven little beds side byside, and covered with Snow White counterpanes.
Little Snow White was so hungry and thirsty thatshe ate some vegetables and bread from each plate
and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for shedid not wish to take all from one only.
Then, as she was so tired, she laid herself downon one of the little beds, but none of them suitedher.
One was too long, another too short, but at lastshe found that the seventh one was right,
and so she remained in it, said a prayer and wentto sleep.
When it was quite dark the owners of the cottagecame back,
they were seven dwarfs who dug and delved in themountains for ore.
They lit their seven candles, and as it was nowlight within the cottage they saw that someone hadbeen there,
for everything was not in the same order in whichthey had left it.
The first said, who has been sitting on my chair?
The second, who has been eating off my plate?
The third, who has been taking some of my bread?
The fourth, who has been eating my vegetables?
The fifth, who has been using my fork?
The sixth, who has been cutting with my knife?
The seventh, who has been drinking out of my mug?
Then the first looked round and saw that there wasa little hole on his bed, and he said,
who has been getting into my bed?
The others came up and each called out, somebodyhas been lying in my bed too.
But the seventh when he looked at his bed sawlittle Snow-White, who was lying asleep therein.
And he called the others, who came running up, andthey cried out with astonishment,
and brought their seven little candles and let thelight fall on little Snow-White.
Oh Evans! Oh Evans! cried they, what a lovelychild!
And they were so glad that they did not wake herup, but let her sleep on in the bed.
And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions,one hour with each, and so got through the night.
When it was morning little Snow-White awoke, andwas frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs.
But they were friendly and asked her what her namewas.
My name is Snow-White, she answered.
How have you come to our house? said the dwarfs.
Then she told them that her stepmother had wishedto have her killed,
but that the huntsman had spared her life, andthat she had run for the whole day,
until at last she had found their dwelling.
The dwarfs said, If you will take care of ourhouse, cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit,
and if you will keep everything neat and clean,you can stay with us, and you shall want fornothing.
Yes, said Snow-White, with all my heart, and shestayed with them.
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She kept the house in order for them, in themornings they went to the mountains and looked forcopper and gold,
in the evenings they came back, and then theirsupper had to be ready.
The girl was alone the whole day, so the gooddwarfs warned her and said,
Beware of your stepmother, she will soon know thatyou are here, be sure to let no one come in.
But the queen, believing that she had eaten Snow-White's heart,
could not but think that she was again the firstand most beautiful of all,
and she went to her looking-glass and said.
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
And the glass answered.
Oh, queen, thou art fairest of all I see.
But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,
Snow-White is still alive and well.
And not as so fair as she.
Then she was astounded, for she knew that thelooking-glass never spoke falsely,
and she knew that the huntsman had betrayed her,and that little Snow-White was still alive.
And so she thought and thought again how she mightkill her,
for so long as she was not the fairest in thewhole land, envy let her have no rest.
And when she had at last thought of something todo, she painted her face,
and dressed herself like an old pedlar woman, andno one could have known her.
In this disguise she went over the seven mountainsto the seven dwarfs,
and knocked at the door and cried,
Pretty things to sell, very cheap, very cheap.
Little Snow-White looked out of the window andcalled out,
Good day my good woman, what have you to sell?
Good things, pretty things, she answered,
Stay laces of all colors, and she pulled out onewhich was woven of bright-colored silk.
I may let the worthy old woman in, thought Snow-White,
and she unbolted the door and bought the prettylaces.
Child, said the old woman, what a fright you look,
Come, I will lace you properly for once.
Snow-White had no suspicion, but stood before her,
and let herself be laced with the new laces.
But the old woman laced so quickly and so tightly
that Snow-White lost her breath and fell down asif dead.
Now I am the most beautiful, said the queen toherself, and ran away.
Not long afterwards, in the evening, the sevendwarfs came home,
but how shocked they were when they saw their dearlittle Snow-White lying on the ground,
and that she neither stirred nor moved, and seemedto be dead.
They lifted her up, and, as they saw that she waslaced too tightly, they cut the laces,
then she began to breathe a little, and after awhile came to life again.
When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said,
The old peddler woman was no one else than thewicked queen.
Take care and let no one come in when we are notwith you.
But the wicked woman when she had reached homewent in front of the glass and asked.
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
And it answered as before.
O queen, thou art fairest of all I see.
But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,
Snow-White is still alive and well.
And not as so fair as she.
When she heard that, all her blood rushed to herheart with fear,
for she saw plainly that little Snow-White wasagain alive.
But now, she said, I will think of something thatshall put an end to you,
and by the help of witchcraft, which sheunderstood, she made a poisonous comb.
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Then she disguised herself and took the shape ofanother old woman.
So she went over the seven mountains to the sevendwarfs,
knocked at the door, and cried,
Good things to sell, cheap, cheap.
Little Snow-White looked out and said,
Go away, I cannot let anyone come in.
I suppose you can look, said the old woman,
and pulled the poisonous comb out and held it up.
It pleased the girl so well that she let herselfbe beguiled, and opened the door.
When they had made a bargain the old woman said,
Now I will comb you properly for once.
Poor little Snow-White had no suspicion,
and let the old woman do as she pleased,
but hardly had she put the comb in her hair thanthe poison in it took effect,
and the girl fell down senseless.
You paragon of beauty, said the wicked woman,
you are done for now, and she went away.
But fortunately it was almost evening, when theseven dwarfs came home.
When they saw Snow-White lying as if dead upon theground
they at once suspected the stepmother,
and they looked and found the poison comb.
Scarcely had they taken it out when Snow-Whitecame to herself,
and told them what had happened.
Then they warned her once more to be upon herguard
and to open the door to no one.
The queen, at home, went in front of the glass andsaid,
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
Then it answered as before.
Oh, queen, thou art fairest of all I see.
But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,
Snow-White is still alive and well.
And not as so fair as she.
When she heard the glass speak thus she trembledand shook with rage.
Snow-White shall die, she cried, even if it costsme my life.
Thereupon she went into a quite secret, lonelyroom,
where no one ever came, and there she made a verypoisonous apple.
Outside it looked pretty, white with a red cheek,
so that everyone who saw it longed for it,
but whoever ate a piece of it must surely die.
When the apple was ready she painted her face,
and dressed herself up as a countrywoman,
and so she went over the seven mountains to theseven dwarfs.
She knocked at the door.
Snow-White put her head out of the window andsaid,
I cannot let anyone in, the seven dwarfs haveforbidden me.
It is all the same to me, answered the woman,
I shall soon get rid of my apples.
There, I will give you one.
No, said Snow-White, I dare not take anything.
Are you afraid of poison?
Said the old woman, look, I will cut the apple intwo pieces,
you eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white.
The apple was so cunningly made that only the redcheek was poison.
Snow-White longed for the fine apple,
and when she saw that the woman ate part of it shecould resist no longer,
and stretched out her hand and took the poisonoushalf.
But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth thenshe fell down dead.
Then the queen looked at her with a dreadful look,
and laughed aloud and said,
White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony wood.
This time the dwarfs cannot wake you up again.
And when she asked of the looking-glass at home.
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
It answered at last.
O Queen, in this land thou art fairest of all.
Then her envious heart had rest,
so far as an envious heart can have rest.
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The dwarfs, when they came home in the evening,
found Snow-White lying upon the ground,
she breathed no longer and was dead.
They lifted her up, looked to see whether theycould find anything poisonous,
unlaced her, combed her hair, washed her withwater and wine,
but it was all of no use, the poor child was dead,and remained dead.
They laid her upon a bier, and all seven of themsat rounded and wept for her,
and wept three days long.
Then they were going to bury her, but she stilllooked as if she were living,
and still had her pretty red cheeks.
They said, we could not bury her in the darkground,
and they had a transparent coffin of glass made,
so that she could be seen from all sides,
and they laid her in it, and wrote her name uponit in golden letters,
and that she was a king's daughter.
Then they put the coffin out upon the mountain,
and one of them always stayed by it and watchedit.
And birds came to, and wept for Snow-White, firstan owl, then a raven, and last a dove.
And now Snow-White lay a long, long time in thecoffin,
and she did not change, but looked as if she wereasleep,
for she was as white as snow, as red as blood, andher hair was as black as ebony.
It happened, however, that a king's son came intothe forest,
and went to the dwarf's house to spend the night.
He saw the coffin on the mountain, and thebeautiful Snow-White within it,
and read what was written upon it in goldenletters.
Then he said to the dwarfs, Let me have thecoffin, I will give you whatever you want for it.
But the dwarfs answered, We will not part with itfor all the gold in the world.
Then he said, Let me have it as a gift, for Icannot live without seeing Snow-White.
I will honour and prize her as my dearestpossession.
As he spoke in this way the good dwarfs took pityupon him and gave him the coffin.
And now the king's son had it carried away by hisservants on their shoulders.
And it happened that they stumbled over a tree-stump,
and with a shock the poisonous piece of applewhich Snow-White had bitten off came out of herthroat.
And before long she opened her eyes, lifted up thelid of the coffin, sat up, and was once morealive.
Ovens, where am I? she cried.
The king's son, full of joy, said, You are withme, and told her what had happened, and said,
I love you more than everything in the world, comewith me to my father's palace, you shall be mywife.
And Snow-White was willing, and went with him, andtheir wedding was held with great show andsplendour.
But Snow-White's wicked stepmother was also bittenof the feast.
When she had arrayed herself in beautiful clothesshe went before the looking-glass, and said,
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall.
Who in this land is the fairest of all?
The glass answered.
O Queen, of all here the fairest art thou.
But the young queen is fairer by far as I trow.
Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was sowretched, so utterly wretched, that she knew notwhat to do.
At first she would not go to the wedding at all,but she had no peace, and must go to see the youngqueen.
And when she went and she knew Snow-White, and shestood still with rage and fear and could not stir.
But iron slippers had already been put upon thefire, and they were brought in with tongs, and setbefore her.
Then she was forced to put on the red-hot shoes,and dance until she dropped down dead.
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