Snow White

Once upon a time, in the heart of winter, when snowflakes drifted from the sky like soft white feathers, a queen sat by a window framed in black ebony, sewing quietly. As she stitched, she gazed out at the falling snow - until she pricked her finger with the needle. Three drops of blood fell onto the snow below. And because the bright red looked so lovely against the pure white, the queen thought:

“I wish for a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the ebony of this window frame.”

Before long, she had a daughter - white as the snow, with lips red as blood and hair black as polished ebony. They named her Snow White. But when the child was born, the queen died.

A year later, the king took another wife. She was beautiful, but proud and vain, and she could not bear the thought of anyone fairer than herself. She possessed a magic mirror, and whenever she stood before it she would say:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

And the mirror would reply: “You, O Queen, are the fairest of them all.”

Satisfied - for the mirror never lied - she would go about her day.

Meanwhile Snow White grew, and with each passing year her beauty shone brighter. When she turned seven, she was radiant as a summer morning - so lovely that even the queen’s beauty dimmed beside her. So one day, when the queen asked:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

The mirror answered:

“No one in this chamber is fairer than thee, But Snow White is a thousand times fairer than you.”

The queen’s heart twisted with envy. Her cheeks went pale, then green with jealousy. From that moment on, whenever she saw Snow White, hatred coiled inside her like a serpent. Pride and envy grew in her heart like choking weeds, leaving her no rest by day or night. At last she summoned a huntsman and commanded:

“Take the child into the forest where my eyes will never see her again. Kill her there - and bring me her lungs and liver as proof.”

The huntsman obeyed and led Snow White into the woods. But when he drew his knife to pierce her innocent heart, the girl wept and pleaded:

“Oh dear huntsman, please do not kill me. I will run far into the wild forest and never come home again.”

She was so young and so lovely that the huntsman’s heart softened.

“Run, poor child!” he said. “The wild beasts will surely eat you,” he thought, but he felt as though a stone had been lifted from his chest, for he could not bear to harm her.

Just then a young wild boar leapt from the bushes. The huntsman killed it, cut out its lungs and liver, and took them to the queen. The cook had to boil them in salt, and the wicked woman ate the dish, believing it was Snow White’s.

The poor girl, frightened and alone in the vast forest, ran over sharp stones and through thorny thickets. Wild animals darted past her but did not harm her. She ran as long as her legs could carry her, until evening shadows gathered. At last she saw a tiny cottage and slipped inside to rest.

Everything was small inside the little house, but neat and shining clean. A white cloth covered a small table with seven little plates, each with its own spoon. Beside them lay seven knives, seven forks, and seven cups. Along the wall stood seven tiny beds, each covered with a snow-white sheet.

Because she was hungry and thirsty, Snow White tasted a little vegetable and bread from each plate, and sipped a drop of wine from each cup - so she wouldn’t take too much from any one place.

Then she tried the beds: one was too long, another too short, but the seventh was just right. She lay down, commended herself to God, and fell asleep.

When it was completely dark, the owners of the cottage arrived - seven dwarfs who mined ore in the mountains. They lit seven lanterns, and once the room was bright, they noticed at once that something was not as they had left it.

“Who has been sitting in my chair?” asked the first. “Who has eaten from my plate?” asked the second. “Who took my bread roll?” the third wondered. “Who tasted my vegetables?” asked the fourth. “Who used my fork?” asked the fifth. “Who cut with my knife?” asked the sixth. “Who drank from my cup?” cried the seventh.

Then the first dwarf looked around and saw a small indentation in his bed.

“Someone has been lying in my bed!” he said.

The others hurried over and exclaimed the same - until the seventh looked and found Snow White sleeping peacefully. He called the rest. They gathered around with their lanterns, marveling.

“Oh dear heavens!” they whispered. “What a beautiful child!” They were delighted she was asleep and let her rest. The seventh dwarf slept with his companions, an hour in each bed, until night passed.

At dawn Snow White awoke and saw the seven dwarfs. She was frightened at first, but they were kind and asked:

“What is your name?”

“My name is Snow White,” she answered.

“How did you find your way here?” they asked gently.

So she told them everything - how her stepmother wanted her dead, how the huntsman spared her life, and how she had run all day until she found their cottage. The dwarfs said:

“If you will take care of our home - cook, make the beds, wash, sew, knit, and keep everything neat and tidy - you may stay with us, and you will want for nothing.”

“I will,” said Snow White. “With all my heart.”

And so she stayed. She kept the house in perfect order. Each morning the dwarfs went to the mountains to search for ore and gold. Each evening, supper awaited them. Snow White stayed alone all day, and the dwarfs warned her:

“Beware of your stepmother! She will soon discover you are here. Let no one inside!”

Meanwhile the queen, believing she had eaten Snow White’s organs, was convinced she was once again the fairest. But one day she stood before her mirror and asked:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

The mirror replied:

“Here you are fairest, O Queen, it is true - But beyond the mountains, with the dwarfs, Snow White is fairer than you.”

The queen trembled with fury. The huntsman had deceived her - Snow White still lived. She brooded day and night, plotting her death. At last she devised a plan. She painted her face, disguised herself as an old peddler woman, and journeyed over the seven mountains to the dwarfs’ cottage. She knocked and cried:

“Lovely wares for sale! Beautiful wares!”

Snow White peeked out the window.

“Good day, dear woman. What are you selling?”

“Fine wares, lovely wares,” the peddler said.

“Laced bodices in every color!”

She held up a silk one, woven in shimmering hues.

“She looks like a kind woman,” Snow White thought, and unbolted the door to buy the bodice.

“You look charming, child!” the old woman cooed. “Come, let me lace it properly.”

Snow White stood before her, trusting. But the woman pulled the laces tight - so tight that Snow White could not breathe. She fell lifeless to the floor.

“You were lovely, the loveliest,” the woman muttered, and hurried away.

Soon the dwarfs came home and found Snow White lying on the ground, still as death. They lifted her and, seeing the bodice tied too tightly, cut the laces. She began to breathe again, and life returned to her.

“That old peddler was none other than the wicked queen,” they warned. “Take care, and let no one in when we are away!”

The queen reached her palace and again asked her mirror:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

The mirror replied:

“Here you are fairest, O Queen, it is true - But beyond the mountains, with the dwarfs, Snow White is still fairer than you.”

At these words the queen’s blood ran cold. Snow White was alive once more.

“I must think of something certain - something deadly,” she vowed.

Using her dark arts, she crafted a poisoned comb, disguised herself as another old woman, and crossed the mountains again.

“Good wares for sale!” she cried.

Snow White leaned out but said, “Go on your way. I must not let anyone in.”

“But surely you may look,” said the woman, holding up the gleaming comb.

Snow White admired it so much that she forgot the dwarfs’ warning and opened the door. Once she bought it, the crone said:

“Let me comb your hair properly!”

The poison worked the moment the comb touched her scalp. Snow White collapsed.

“Such beauty,” sneered the queen, “and now it’s ended,” and she left.

The dwarfs returned, found Snow White as if dead again, discovered the poisoned comb, and pulled it free. At once she revived. They warned her even more sternly.

But the queen, consulting her mirror yet again, heard the same dreadful words:

“Here you are fairest, O Queen, it is true - But with the dwarfs, beyond the mountains, Snow White is fairer than you.”

Shaking with rage, she cried: “Snow White must die - even if it costs me my life!”

She slipped into her secret chamber and made a poisoned apple, beautiful to behold - half red, half green. Anyone who tasted even a bite would die. When it was finished, she disguised herself as a peasant woman and crossed the mountains one last time.

Snow White appeared at the window.

“I may not let anyone in,” she said.

“Quite right,” said the peasant. “But take this apple as a gift.”

“No - I must take nothing,” Snow White replied.

“Afraid of poison?” the woman teased. “Look - I’ll cut it in two. You eat the red half, and I’ll eat the green.”

The apple was enchanted so the queen’s half was harmless. Seeing her eat it, Snow White’s longing for the apple overcame her fear. She reached out, took the red half, and bit it.

At once she fell dead.

The queen laughed aloud.

“White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony! This time the dwarfs shall never wake you!”

Returning home, she asked her mirror:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

And the mirror replied:

“You, O Queen, are the fairest of them all.”

At last her envious heart found rest - such rest as a jealous heart can know.

The dwarfs came home that evening and found Snow White lifeless. They searched for anything poisonous, untied her bodice, combed her hair, washed her with water and wine - but nothing helped. Their dear child was gone. They laid her upon a bier and mourned for three days.

When they wished to bury her, they could not - she still looked fresh as life, her cheeks rosy, her beauty untouched. So they made a glass coffin, clear on all sides, placed her inside, and wrote her name in gold: Snow White, a princess. They carried it to a mountain ledge, and one dwarf always kept watch. Even the animals came to mourn - first an owl, then a raven, then a dove.

Snow White lay in the glass coffin for a long time, yet death left no mark on her. She looked as though she slept - white as snow, lips red as blood, hair black as ebony.

One day, a prince wandered into the dwarfs’ forest and sought shelter for the night. He saw the coffin, read the golden letters, and gazed upon Snow White’s face.

“Give me this coffin,” he said. “I will give you anything you desire.”

But the dwarfs replied:

“We will not sell her for all the gold in the world.”

Then the prince said:

“Then give her to me as a gift, for I cannot live without seeing her. I will honor and cherish her as the dearest being in my life.”

His words moved the dwarfs, and they gave him the coffin. As his servants carried it, they stumbled over a bush. The coffin shook - and the piece of poisoned apple flew from Snow White’s throat.

Soon her eyes opened. She lifted the coffin’s lid and sat up.

“Good heavens - where am I?”

The prince answered, overjoyed:

“You are with me.”

He told her all that had happened, then said:

“I love you more than anything in this world. Come with me to my father’s castle, and be my wife.”

Snow White agreed, and their wedding was splendid beyond measure.

The wicked stepmother was invited as well. Dressing herself in her finest gown, she stood before her mirror and asked:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?”

The mirror replied: “You, O Queen, are lovely, it’s true - But the young bride in the prince’s hall, Snow White, is fairer than you.”

The queen cursed and trembled with fear, but curiosity drove her to the wedding. When she arrived and recognized Snow White, terror rooted her to the spot. Waiting for her were red-hot iron shoes, glowing over burning coals. They were brought to her with tongs and set before her.

And in those burning shoes, she was forced to dance - until she fell down dead.