Life Stories - Part 25
*Snow White*
ONCE upon a time, in the middle of winter when the snow-flakes
were falling like feathers on the earth, a Queen sat at a window
framed in black ebony and sewed. And as she sewed and gazed
out to the white landscape, she pricked her finger with the needle,
and three drops of blood fell on the snow outside, and because the
red showed out so well against the white she thought to herself:
`Oh! what wouldn't I give to have a child as white as snow, as
red as blood, and as black as ebony!'
And her wish was granted, for not long after a little daughter
was born to her, with a skin as white as snow, lips and cheeks as
red as blood, and hair as black as ebony. They called her Snow White,
and not long after her birth the Queen died.
After a year the King married again. His new wife wasa
beautiful woman, but so proud and overbearing that she couldn't
stand any rival to her beauty. She possessed a magic mirror, and
when she used to stand before it gazing at her own reflection and ask:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
it always replied:
`You are most fair, my Lady Queen,
None fairer in the land, I ween.'
Then she was quite happy, for she knew the mirror always spoke the truth.
But Snow White was growing prettier and prettier every day, and
when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as she could be,
and fairer even than the Queen herself. One day when the latter
asked her mirror the usual question, it replied:
`My Lady Queen, you are fair, 'tis true,
But Snow White is fairer far than you.'
Then the Queen flew into the most awful passion, and turned
every shade of green in her jealousy. From this hour she hated
poor Snow White like poison, and every day her envy, hatred, and
malice grew, for envy and jealousy are like evil weeds which spring
up and choke the heart. At last she could endure Snow White's
presence no longer, and, calling a huntsman to her, she said:
`Take the child out into the wood, and never let me see her face
again. You must kill her, and bring me back her lungs and liver,
that I may know for certain she is dead.'
The Huntsman did as he was told and led Snow White out into
the wood, but as he was in the act of drawing out his knife to slay
her, she began to cry, and said:
`Oh, dear Huntsman, spare my life, and I will promise to fly forth
into the wide wood and never to return home again.'
And because she was so young and pretty the Huntsman had pity
on her, and said:
`Well, run along, poor child.' For he thought to himself: `The
wild beasts will soon eat her up.'
And his heart felt lighter because he hadn't had to do the deed
himself. And as he turned away a young boar came running past,
so he shot it, and brought its lungs and liver home to the Queen as
a proof that Snow White was really dead. And the wicked woman
had them stewed in salt, and ate them up, thinking she had made
an end of Snow White for ever.
Now when the poor child found herself alone in the big wood the
very trees around her seemed to assume strange shapes, and she felt
so frightened she didn't know what to do. Then she began to run
over the sharp stones, and through the bramble bushes, and the wild
beasts ran past her, but they did her no harm. She ran as far as
her legs would carry her, and as evening approached she saw a little
house, and she stepped inside to rest. Everything was very small
in the little house, but cleaner and neater than anything you can
imagine. In the middle of the room there stood a little table,
covered with a white tablecloth, and seven little plates and forks
and spoons and knives and tumblers. Side by side against the wall
there were seven little beds, covered with snow-white counterpanes.
Snow White felt so hungry and so thirsty that she ate a bit of bread
and a little porridge from each plate, and drank a drop of wine out
of each tumbler. Then feeling tired and sleepy she lay down on
one of the beds, but it wasn't comfortable; then she tried all the
others in turn, but one was too long, and another too short, and it
was only when she got to the seventh that she found one to suit her
exactly. So she lay down upon it, said her prayers like a good child,
and fell fast asleep.
When it got quite dark the masters of the little house returned.
They were seven dwarfs who worked in the mines, right down deep
in the heart of the mountain. They lighted their seven little lamps,
and as soon as their eyes got accustomed to the glare they saw that
someone had been in the room, for all was not in the same order as
they had left it.
The first said:
`Who's been sitting on my little chair?'
The second said:
`Who's been eating my little loaf?'
The third said:
`Who's been tasting my porridge?'
The fourth said:
`Who's been eating out of my little plate?'
The fifth said:
`Who's been using my little fork?'
The sixth said:
`Who's been cutting with my little knife?'
The seventh said:
`Who's been drinking out of my little tumbler?'
Then the first Dwarf looked round and saw a little hollow in his
bed, and he asked again:
`Who's been lying on my bed?'
The others came running round, and cried when they saw their
beds:
`Somebody has lain on ours too.'
But when the seventh came to his bed, he started back in
amazement, for there he beheld Snow White fast asleep. Then he
called the others, who turned their little lamps full on the bed, and
when they saw Snow White lying there they nearly fell down with
surprise.
`Goodness gracious!' they cried, `what a beautiful child!'
And they were so enchanted by her beauty that they did not
wake her, but let her sleep on in the little bed. But the seventh
Dwarf slept with his companions one hour in each bed, and in this
way he managed to pass the night.
In the morning Snow White awoke, but when she saw the seven
little Dwarfs she felt very frightened. But they were so friendly
and asked her what her name was in such a kind way, that she
replied:
`I am Snow White.'
`Why did you come to our house?' continued the Dwarfs.
Then she told them how her stepmother had wished her put to
death, and how the Huntsman had spared her life, and how she had
run the whole day till she had come to their little house. The
Dwarfs, when they had heard her sad story, asked her:
`Will you stay and keep house for us, cook, make the beds,
the washing, sew and knit? and if you give satisfaction and keep
everything neat and clean, you shall want for nothing.'
`Yes,' answered Snow White, `I will gladly do all you ask.'
And so she took up her abode with them. Every morning the
Dwarfs went into the mountain to dig for gold, and in the evening,
when they returned home, Snow White always had their supper ready
for them. But during the day the girl was left quite alone, so the
good Dwarfs warned her, saying:
`Beware of your step-mother. She will soon find out you are
here, and whatever you do don't let anyone into the house.'
Now the Queen, after she thought she had eaten Snow White's
lungs and liver, never dreamed but that she was once more the
most beautiful woman in the world; so stepping before her mirror
one day she said:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
and the mirror replied:
`My Lady Queen, you are fair, 'tis true,
But Snow White is fairer far than you.
Snow White, who dwells with the seven little men,
Is as fair as you, as fair again.'
When the Queen heard these words she was nearly struck dumb
with horror, for the mirror always spoke the truth, and she knew
now that the Huntsman must have deceived her, and that Snow White
was still alive. She pondered day and night how she might destroy
her, for as long as she felt she had a rival in the land her jealous
heart left her no rest. At last she hit upon a plan. She stained her
face and dressed herself up as an old peddler wife, so that she was
quite unrecognisable. In this guise she went over the seven hills
till she came to the house of the seven Dwarfs. There she knocked
at the door, calling out at the same time:
`Fine wares to sell, fine wares to sell!'
Snow White peeped out of the window, and called out:
`Good-day, mother, what have you to sell?'
`Good wares, fine wares,' she answered; `laces of every shade
and description,' and she held one up that was made of some gay
coloured silk.
`Surely I can let the honest woman in,' thought Snow White; so
she unbarred the door and bought the pretty lace.
`Good gracious! child,' said the old woman, `what a figure you've
got. Come! I'll lace you up properly for once.'
Snow White, suspecting no evil, stood before her and let her lace
her bodice up, but the old woman laced her so quickly and so tightly
that it took Snow White's breath away, and she fell down dead.
`Now you are no longer the fairest,' said the wicked old woman,
and then she hastened away.
In the evening the seven Dwarfs came home, and you may
think what a fright they got when they saw their dear Snow White
lying on the floor, as still and motionless as a dead person. They
lifted her up tenderly, and when they saw how tightly laced she
was they cut the lace in two, and she began to breathe a little and
gradually came back to life. When the Dwarfs heard what had
happened, they said:
`Depend upon it, the old peddler wife was none other than the
old Queen. In future you must be sure to let no one in, if we are
not at home.'
As soon as the wicked old Queen got home she went straight to
her mirror, and said:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
and the mirror answered as before:
`My Lady Queen, you are fair, 'tis true,
But Snow White is fairer far than you.
Snow White, who dwells with the seven little men,
Is as fair as you, as fair again.'
When she heard this she became as pale as death, because she
saw at once that Snow White must be alive again.
`This time,' she said to herself, `I will think of something that
will make an end of her once and for all.'
And by the witchcraft which she understood so well she made
a poisonous comb; then she dressed herself up and assumed the
form of another old woman. So she went over the seven hills till
she reached the house of the seven Dwarfs, and knocking at the
door she called out:
`Fine wares for sale.'
Snow White looked out of the window and said:
`You must go away, for I may not let anyone in.'
`But surely you are not forbidden to look out?' said the old
woman, and she held up the poisonous comb for her to see.
It pleased the girl so much that she let herself be taken in, and
opened the door. When they had settled their bargain the old
woman said:
`Now I'll comb your hair properly for you, for once in the
way.'
Poor Snow White thought no evil, but hardly had the comb touched
her hair than the poison worked and she fell down unconscious.
`Now, my fine lady, you're really done for this time,' said the
wicked woman, and she made her way home as fast as she could.
Fortunately it was now near evening, and the seven Dwarfs
returned home. When they saw Snow White lying dead on the ground,
they at once suspected that her wicked step-mother had been at
work again; so they searched till they found the poisonous comb,
and the moment they pulled it out of her head Snow White came to
herself again, and told them what had happened. Then they
warned her once more to be on her guard, and to open the door to
no one.
As soon as the Queen got home she went straight to her mirror,
and asked:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
and it replied as before:
`My Lady Queen, you are fair, 'tis true,
But Snow White is fairer far than you.
Snow White, who dwells with the seven little men,
Is as fair as you, as fair again.'
When she heard these words she literally trembled and shook with rage.
`Snow White shall die,' she cried; `yes, though it cost me my own life.'
Then she went to a little secret chamber, which no one knew of
but herself, and there she made a poisonous apple. Outwardly it
looked beautiful, white with red cheeks, so that everyone who saw
it longed to eat it, but anyone who might do so would certainly die
on the spot. When the apple was quite finished she stained her
face and dressed herself up as a peasant, and so she went over
the seven hills to the seven Dwarfs'. She knocked at the door, as
usual, but Snow White put her head out of the window and called
out:
`I may not let anyone in, the seven Dwarfs have forbidden me
to do so.'
`Are you afraid of being poisoned?' asked the old woman. `See,I
will cut this apple in half. I'll eat the white cheek and you can eat
the red.'
But the apple was so cunningly made that only the red cheek
was poisonous. Snow White longed to eat the tempting fruit, and when
she saw that the peasant woman was eating it herself, she couldn't
resist the temptation any longer, and stretching out her hand she
took the poisonous half. But hardly had the first bite passed her
lips than she fell down dead on the ground. Then the eyes of the
cruel Queen sparkled with glee, and laughing aloud she cried:
`As white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony, this
time the Dwarfs won't be able to bring you back to life.'
When she got home she asked the mirror:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
and this time it replied:
`You are most fair, my Lady Queen,
None fairer in the land, I ween.'
Then her jealous heart was at rest--at least, as much at rest
as a jealous heart can ever be.
When the little Dwarfs came home in the evening they found
Snow White lying on the ground, and she neither breathed nor stirred.
They lifted her up, and looked round everywhere to see if they
could find anything poisonous about. They unlaced her bodice,
combed her hair, washed her with water and wine, but all in vain;
the child was dead and remained dead. Then they placed her on
a bier, and all the seven Dwarfs sat round it, weeping and sobbing
for three whole days. At last they made up their minds to bury
her, but she looked as blooming as a living being, and her cheeks
were still such a lovely colour, that they said:
`We can't hide her away in the black ground.'
So they had a coffin made of transparent glass, and they laid her
in it, and wrote on the lid in golden letters that she was a royal
Princess. Then they put the coffin on the top of the mountain, and
one of the Dwarfs always remained beside it and kept watch over it.
And the very birds of the air came and bewailed Snow White's death,
first an owl, and then a raven, and last of all a little dove.
Snow White lay a long time in the coffin, and she always looked
the same, just as if she were fast asleep, and she remained as white
as snow, as red as blood, and her hair as black as ebony.
Now it happened one day that a Prince came to the wood and
passed by the Dwarfs' house. He saw the coffin on the hill, with
the beautiful Snow White inside it, and when he had read what was
written on it in golden letters, he said to the Dwarf:
`Give me the coffin. I'll give you whatever you like for it.'
But the Dwarf said: `No; we wouldn't part with it for all the
gold in the world.'
`Well, then,' he replied, `give it to me, because I can't live
without Snow White. I will cherish and love it as my dearest possession.'
He spoke so sadly that the good Dwarfs had pity on him,
and gave him the coffin, and the Prince made his servants bear
it away on their shoulders. Now it happened that as they were
going down the hill they stumbled over a bush, and jolted the coffin
so violently that the poisonous bit of apple Snow White had
swallowed fell out of her throat. She gradually opened her eyes,
lifted up the lid of the coffin, and sat up alive and well.
`Oh! dear me, where am I?' she cried.
The Prince answered joyfully, `You are with me,' and he told her
all that had happened. adding, `I love you better than anyone
in the whole wide world. Will you come with me to my father's palace
and be my wife?'
Snow White consented, and went with him, and the marriage was
celebrated with great pomp and splendour.
Now Snow White's wicked step-mother was one of the guests
invited to the wedding feast. When she had dressed herself very
gorgeously for the occasion, she went to the mirror, and said:
`Mirror, mirror, hanging there,
Who in all the land's most fair?'
and the mirror answered:
`My Lady Queen, you are fair, 'tis true,
But Snow White is fairer far than you.'
When the wicked woman heard these words she uttereda
curse, and was beside herself with rage and mortification. At first
she didn't want to go to the wedding at all, but at the same time
she felt she would never be happy till she had seen the young
Queen. As she entered Snow White recognised her, and nearly
fainted with fear; but red-hot iron shoes had been prepared for the
wicked old Queen, and she was made to get into them and dance
till she fell down dead.
