LITTLE SNOW-WHITE
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Grimm, Jacob, Grimm, Wilhelm, Olcott, Frances Jenkins, and Cramer, Rie
“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, Little Snow-White is alive and well, And none is so fair as she.”
Then she was astounded, for she knew that the Looking-Glass never spoke falsely, and she knew that the huntsman had betrayed her, for that little Snow-White was still alive.
And so she thought and thought again how she might kill her, for so long as she herself was not the fairest in the whole land, envy let her have no rest. And when she had at last thought of something to do, she painted her face, and dressed herself like an old pedler-woman, and no one could have known her.
In this disguise she went over the Seven Mountains to the Seven Dwarfs, and knocked at the door and cried, “Pretty things to sell, very cheap, very cheap!”
Little Snow-White looked out at the window, and called, “Good-day, my dear woman, what have you to sell?”
“Good things, pretty things,” she answered; “stay-laces of all colors,” and she pulled out one which was woven of bright-colored silk.
“I may let the worthy old woman in,” thought little Snow-White, and she unbolted the door and bought the pretty laces.
“Child,” said the old woman, “what a fright you look. Come, I will lace you properly for once.”
Little 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 laced so tightly that little 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 afterward, in the evening, the Seven Dwarfs came home. But how shocked they were when they saw their dear little Snow-White lying on the ground, and that she neither stirred nor moved, and seemed to be dead. They lifted her up, and, as they saw that she was laced too tightly, they cut the laces. Than she began to breathe a little, and after a while came to life again.
When the Dwarfs heard what had happened, they said, “The old pedler-woman was no one else than the wicked Queen. Take care and let no one come in when we are not with you.”
But the wicked woman, when she had reached home, went 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:
“Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see, But over the hills, where the Seven Dwarfs dwell, Little Snow-White is alive and well, And none is so fair as she.”
When she heard that, all her blood rushed to her heart with fear, for she saw plainly that little Snow-White was again alive. “But now,” she said, “I will think of something that shall put an end to you,” and by the help of witchcraft, which she understood, she made a poisonous comb.
Then she disguised herself, and took the shape of another old woman. So she went over the Seven Mountains to the Seven Dwarfs, knocked at the door, and cried, “Good things to sell, cheap, cheap!”
Little Snow-White looked out, and said, “Go away. I cannot let any one come in.”
“I suppose you may look,” said the old woman, and pulled the poisonous comb out and held it up.
It pleased the maiden so well that she let herself be 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, then the poison in it took effect, and the maiden 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, and the Seven Dwarfs came home. When they saw little Snow-White lying as if dead upon the ground, they at once suspected the Queen. They looked and found the poisoned comb. Scarcely had they taken it out, when little Snow-White came to herself, and told them what had happened. Then they warned her once more to be upon her guard, and to open the door to no one.
The Queen, at home, went in front of the Glass and said:
“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, Little Snow-White is alive and well, And none is so fair as she.”
When she heard the Glass speak thus, she trembled and shook with rage. “Little Snow-White shall die,” she cried, “even if it costs me my life!”
Thereupon she went into a secret, lonely room, where no one ever came, and there she made a very poisonous apple. Outside it looked pretty, white with a red cheek, so that every one 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 as a countrywoman, and so she went over the Seven Mountains to the Seven Dwarfs. She knocked at the door. Little Snow-White put her head out of the window and said, “I cannot let any one in. The Seven Dwarfs have forbidden 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 little Snow-White, “I dare not take anything.”
“Are you afraid of poison?” said the old woman. “Look, I will cut the apple in two pieces. You eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white.”
The apple was so cunningly made that only the red cheek was poisoned. Little Snow-White longed for the fine apple, and when she saw that the woman ate part of it, she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half. But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth, than she 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?”