Snow White

One winter's day a queen sat sewing in front of a black window. She pricked her finger and three drops of blood fell on the snow. The Queen found the red, white, and black combination to be beautiful and wished for a daughter as lovely.

And hence she had a daughter with skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, and was named Snow White. The Queen died in child birth. A year went by and the King wed to another. This queen believed her beauty to be superior of all other's. She had a looking-glass and when she spoke: "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of all?"

The Looking-glass answered, "You, my Queen, are fairest of all." And the Queen would be satisfied for it spoke the truth.

But Snow White growing, along with her beauty.and when she reached age seven she was more beautiful than the Queen herself. That night the Queen asked her trusted Looking-glass, "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of all?"

And the Looking-glass answered, "You are fairest in the room, my Queen. But Snow White is more beautiful, I have seen."

At hearing this the Queen was enraged and grew envious. From that time when she looked at the King's daughter, Snow White, she felt the utmost hatred. And as time passed, the Queen's hatred bloomed. So she called for the fiercest huntsman,and said to he, "Take this child and kill her in the Forest. Bring back her lung and liver for proof that the deed is done."

And so the Huntsman took the King's only child to the Forest, but when the blade was poised over the black haired youth she pleaded with him, tears upon her face. "Spare my life, oh Huntsman, and I will run into the Forest and never show my face in the Kingdom again."

And for the Princess' beauty, he allowed her to keep her life, saying, "Run poor child! Run!" The Huntsman pondered to himself that Snow would soon be devoured. Upon seeing a young bear he killed it, taking the liver and lung to the Queen, who commanded the Cook to prepare them, of which she ate.

Meanwhile Snow White ran through the Forest, the beast and wild creatures leaving her be. When evening fell she stumbled upon a cottage of which she entered to rest herself. In this abode everything was small and there was much of seven copies of each thing.

At the long table seven plates were set, and being both thirsty and famished the Princess prayed and ate a little off each plate and drank a drop out of each cup. And being exhausted she chose one of the seven beds, the one that was just her size, prayed and slept.