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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 frameof the window was made of black ebony.
And whilst she was sewing and looking out of thewindow at the snow, she pricked her finger withthe needle, and three drops of blood fell upon thesnow.
And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, andshe thought to herself, would that I had a childas white as snow, as red as blood, and as black asthe wood of the window frame.
Soon after that she had a little daughter, who wasas white as snow, and as red as blood, and herhair was as black as ebony, and she was thereforecalled Little Snow White.
And when the child was born, the queen died. Aftera year had passed the king took to himself anotherwife.
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 inthis land is the fairest of all?
The looking glass answered. Thou, O Queen, art thefairest 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 oldshe was as beautiful as the day, and morebeautiful 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? Itanswered. 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 pierceSnow White's innocent heart, 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 hadbeen
rolled from his heart since it was no longer needful for him to kill her. And as a young boar justthen
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came running by he stabbed it, and cut out itsheart and took it to the queen as proof that the
child was dead. The cook had to salt this, and thewicked queen ate it, and thought she had eaten
the heart of Snow White. But now the poor childwas all alone in the great forest, and soterrified
that she looked at every leaf of every tree, anddid not know what to do. Then she began to run,
and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, andthe wild beasts ran past her, but did her no
harm. She ran as long as her feet would go untilit was almost evening, then she saw a little
cottage and went into it to rest herself.Everything in the cottage was small, but neaterand
cleaner than can be told. There was a table onwhich was a white cover, and seven little plates,
and on each plate a little spoon, moreover, therewere seven little knives and forks,
and seven little mugs. Against the wall stoodseven little beds side by side,
and covered with Snow White counterpanes. LittleSnow White was so hungry and thirsty that she
ate some vegetables and bread from each plate anddrank a drop of wine out of each mug,
for she did not wish to take all from one only.Then, as she was so tired, she laid herself down
on one of the little beds, but none of them suitedher, one was too long, another too short,
but at last she found that the seventh one wasright, and so she remained in it,
said a prayer and went to sleep. When it was quitedark the owners of the cottage came back,
they were seven dwarfs who dug and delved in themountains for ore. They lit their seven candles,
and as it was now light within the cottage theysaw that someone had been 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 cameup and each called out,
somebody has been lying in my bed too. But theseventh when he looked at his bed saw little
Snow White, who was lying asleep therein. And hecalled the others, who came running up, and
they cried out with astonishment, and broughttheir seven little candles and let the light
fall on little Snow White. Oh Evans! Oh Evans!cried they, what a lovely child! And they were
so glad that they did not wake her up, but let hersleep on in the bed. And the seventh dwarf
slept with his companions, one hour with each, andso got through the night. When it was morning
little Snow White awoke, and was frightened whenshe saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly
and asked her what her name was. My name is SnowWhite, she answered. How have you come to our
house? said the dwarfs. Then she told them thather stepmother had wished to 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. Thedwarfs said, if you will take care of our house,
cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit, and ifyou will keep everything neat and clean,
you can stay with us, and you shall want fornothing. Yes, said Snow White, with all my heart,
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and she stayed with them. She kept the house inorder for them, in the mornings they went to
the mountains and looked for copper and gold, inthe evenings they came back, and then their
supper had to be ready. The girl was alone thewhole day, so the good dwarfs 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 SnowWhite's heart, could not but think that she was
again the first and most beautiful of all, and shewent to her looking-glass and said.
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall. Who inthis 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 stillalive 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 the whole land, envy let her have norest. And when she had at last thought of
something to do, she painted her face, and dressedherself like an old pedlar woman,
and no one could have known her. In this disguiseshe went over the seven mountains to the seven
dwarfs, and knocked at the door and cried, Prettythings 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 colours,
and she pulled out one which was woven of bright-coloured silk. I may let the worthy
old woman in, thought Snow White, and she unboltedthe door and bought the pretty laces.
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 tightlythat Snow White lost her breath and
fell down as if dead. Now I am the most beautiful,said the queen to herself, and ran away.
Not long afterwards, in the evening, the sevendwarfs came home, but how shocked they were when
they saw their dear little Snow White lying on theground, and that she neither stirred nor moved,
and seemed to be dead. They lifted her up, and, asthey saw that she was laced too tightly,
they cut the laces, then she began to breathe alittle, and after a while came to life again.
When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said,The old pedlar woman was no one else than
the wicked queen, take care and let no one come inwhen we are not with 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 inthis land is the fairest of all?
And it answered as before. Oh queen, thou artfairest of all I see. But over the hills,
where the seven dwarfs dwell. Snow White is stillalive 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
Snow White was again alive. But now, she said, Iwill think of something that shall 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 seven dwarfs, knocked at thedoor, and cried, Good things to sell, cheap,
cheap. Little Snow White looked out and said, Goaway, I cannot let anyone come in.
I suppose you can look, said the old woman, andpulled 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 letthe 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 ofbeauty, said the wicked woman,
You are done for now, and she went away. Butfortunately it was almost evening,
when the seven dwarfs came home. When they sawSnow White lying as if dead upon the ground
they at once suspected the stepmother, and theylooked 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 inthis land is the fairest of all?
Then it answered as before. Oh queen, thou artfairest of all I see.
But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell.Snow White is still alive and well.
And none is so fair as she. When she heard theglass speak thus she trembled and 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 very poisonous apple. Outsideit looked pretty, white with a red cheek,
so that everyone who saw it longed for it, butwhoever ate a piece of it must surely die.
When the apple was ready she painted her face, anddressed herself up as a country woman,
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 and said, I cannotlet anyone in, the seven dwarfs have forbidden me.
It is all the same to me, answered the woman, Ishall soon get rid of my apples. There,
I will give you one. No, said Snow White, I darenot 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 red cheek was
poison. Snow White longed for the fine apple, andwhen she saw that the woman ate part of it
she could resist no longer, and stretched out herhand and took the poisonous half.
But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth andshe 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. Andwhen she asked of the looking-glass at home.
Looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall. Who inthis land is the fairest of all?
It answered at last. Oh, queen, in this land thouart 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 liftedher up, looked to see whether they could find
anything poisonous, unlaced her, combed her hair,washed her with water 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 them sat rounded and weptfor her, and wept three days long. Then they were
going to bury her, but she still looked as if shewere living, and still had her pretty red
cheeks. They said, we could not bury her in thedark ground, and they had a transparent coffin
of glass made, so that she could be seen from allsides, and they laid her in it, and wrote her
name upon it in golden letters, and that she was aking's daughter. Then they put the coffin out
upon the mountain, and one of them always stayedby it and watched it. And birds came too, and
wept for Snow White, first an owl, then a raven,and last a dove. And now Snow White lay a long,
long time in the coffin, and she did not change,but looked as if she were asleep,
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 themountain, and the beautiful Snow White within it,
and read what was written upon it in goldenletters. Then he said to the dwarfs,
let me have the coffin, I will give you whateveryou want for it. But the dwarfs answered,
we will not part with it for all the gold in theworld. Then he said, let me have it as a gift,
for I cannot live without seeing Snow White. Iwill 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 ashock the poisonous piece of apple which Snow
White had bitten off came out of her throat. Andbefore long she opened her eyes, lifted up the
coffin, sat up, and was once more alive. Ovens,where am I? She cried. The king's son, full ofjoy,
said, you are with me, and told her what hadhappened, and said, I love you more than
everything in the world, come with me to my father's palace, you shall be my wife.
And Snow White was willing, and went with him, andtheir wedding was held with great show and
splendour. But Snow White's wicked stepmother wasalso bitten of the feast. When she had arrayed
herself in beautiful clothes she went before thelooking-glass, and said. Looking-glass,
looking-glass, on the wall. Who in this land isthe fairest of all? The glass answered.
O queen, of all here the fairest art thou. But theyoung queen is fairer by far as I trow.
Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was sowretched, so utterly wretched, that she knew
not what to do. At first she would not go to thewedding at all, but she had no peace, and must go
to see the young queen. And when she went and sheknew Snow White, and she stood still with rage
and fear, and could not stir. But iron slippershad already been put upon the fire, and they were
brought in with tongs, and set before her. Thenshe was forced to put on the red-hot shoes,
and dance until she dropped down dead.
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