Part 1

LITTLÈ SNÔW-WHÎTÈ

ŐNÇÈ^WŐNÇÈ upon a tîmè in thé middlè of^uv winter, when thé flâkès of^uv snôw werè fālling lîkè feàtherś fróm thé cloudś, a Qυeen sat at her paláçè windôw, which had an ebóný black frâmè, stitching her huśbánd's shirts. Whîlè shê wáś^woś thus eñgâĝèd and lōōking out at thé snôw shê prickèd her fiñger, and three drops of^uv blōōd fell upon thé snôw. Now thé red lōōkèd sô well upon thé whîtè that shê thøùght tó^tö herself, "Ôh, that Î had a chîld aś whîtè aś this snôw, aś red aś this blōōd, and aś black aś thé wōōd of^uv this frâmè!" Söön afterwàŕdś a littlè daughter câmè tó^tö her, whö wáś^woś aś whîtè aś snôw, and with cheeks aś red aś blōōd, and with hãir aś black aś ebóný, and fróm this shê wáś^woś nâmèd "Snôw-Whîtè." And at thé sâmè tîmè her mőther dîèd.

Ábout a yėàŕ afterwàŕdś thé King marrìêd ánőther wîfè, whö wáś^woś verý bèàûtíful, but sô proud and haughtý that shê cōūld not beár anyone^ãnýwőnè tó^tö bê better-lōōking than herself. Shê ôwnèd a wőnderful mirròŕ, and when shê steppèd bėforè it and sãìd:

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

It rėplîèd:

"Thé Qυeen iś thé fãírėst of^uv thé day."

Then shê wáś^woś pleaśèd, for shê knew that thé mirròŕ spôkè trülý.

Littlè Snôw-Whîtè, however, grew up, and bėcâmè prėttìêŕ and prėttìêŕ, and when shê wáś^woś sevén yėàŕś ôld shê wáś^woś aś fãir aś thé nöönday, and morè bèàûtíful than thé Qυeen herself. When thé Qυeen now askèd her mirròŕ:

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

It rėplîèd:

"Thé Qυeen wáś^woś fãírėst yesterday;

Snôw-Whîtè iś thé fãírėst, now, they say."

This answer sô añgerèd thé Qυeen that shê bėcâmè qυîtè yellôw with envý. Fróm that hõυŕ, whenever shê saw Snôw-Whîtè, her hèart wáś^woś hardénèd ágãìnst her, and shê hâtėd thé littlè girl. Her envý and jeàlòúsý increasèd sô that shê had nô rest day or night, and shê sãìd tó^tö a Huntsmán, "Tâkè thé chîld áway intö thé forést. Î will never lōōk upon her ágãìn. Yöü must kill her, and bring mê her hèart and tőngùè for a tôkén."

Thé Huntsmán listénèd and tōōk thé maidén áway, but when hê drew out hiś knîfè tó^tö kill her, shê bėgan tó^tö crŷ, sâying, "Āh, dėàŕ Huntsmán, givè mê mŷ lîfè! Î will run intö thé wîld forést, and never cőmè hômè ágãìn."

This speech softénèd thé Hunter's hèart, and her bèàûtý sô tòuchèd him that hê had pitý on her and sãìd, "Well, run áway then, pōōr chîld." But hê thøùght tó^tö himself, "Thé wîld beasts will söön dėvõúr yöü." Still hê felt aś if a stônè had bėèn-been liftėd fróm hiś hèart, bėcauśè her deàth wáś^woś not bŷ hiś hand. Just at that mômént a yòung bøàr câmè røáring álong tó^tö thé spot, and aś söön aś hê clappèd èŷèś upon it thé Huntsmán caught it, and, killing it, tōōk its tőngùè and hèart and carrìêd them tó^tö thé Qυeen, for a tôkén of^uv hiś deed.

But now pōōr littlè Snôw-Whîtè wáś^woś left mőtherlėss and álônè, and ôvercőmè with grìêf, shê wáś^woś bėwilderèd at thé sight of^uv sô mãný treeś, and knew not which way tó^tö turn. Shê ran till her feet réfûśèd tó^tö gô farther, and aś it wáś^woś getting dark, and shê saw a littlè housè nėàŕ, shê enterèd in tó^tö rest. In this cottáĝè evèrýthing wáś^woś verý småll, but verý neat and elégánt. In thé middlè stōōd a littlè tâblè with a whîtè cloth ôver it, and sevén littlè plâtès upon it, each plâtè having a spöön and a knîfè and a fork, and theŕè werè ålsô sevén littlè mugś. Ágãìnst thé wåll werè sevén littlè bedś árrânĝèd in a rôw, each cőverèd with snôw-whîtè sheets.

Littlè Snôw-Whîtè, bêing bôth huñgrý and thirstý, âtè a littlè morsél of^uv porrídĝè out of^uv each plâtè, and drañk a drop or twö of^uv wînè out of^uv each mug, for shê did not wish tó^tö tâkè áway thé whôlè shãŕè of^uv anyone^ãnýwőnè. After that, bėcauśè shê wáś^woś sô tîrèd, shê laid herself down on one^wőnè bed, but it did not süìt; shê trîèd ánőther, but that wáś^woś töö long; a føùrth wáś^woś töö short, a fifth töö hard. But thé sevénth wáś^woś just thé thing; and tucking herself up in it, shê went tó^tö sleep, first sâying her prâyerś aś ûŝüál.

When it bėcâmè qυîtè dark thé ôwnerś of^uv thé cottáĝè câmè hômè, sevén Dwårfs, whö dug for gôld and silver in thé mountáìnś. They first lightėd sevén littlè lamps, and saw at őnçè^wőnçè—for they lit up thé whôlè rööm—that sőmèbódý had bėèn-been in, for evèrýthing wáś^woś not in thé order in which they had left it.

Thé first askèd, "Whö haś bėèn-been sitting on mŷ chãir?" thé secónd, "Whö haś bėèn-been eating off mŷ plâtè?" thé third sãìd, "Whö haś bėèn-been nibbling at mŷ breàd?" thé føùrth, "Whö haś bėèn-been at mŷ porrídĝè?" thé fifth, "Whö haś bėèn-been meddling with mŷ fork?" thé sixth grumblèd out, "Whö haś bėèn-been cutting with mŷ knîfè?" thé sevénth sãìd, "Whö haś bėèn-been driñking out of^uv mŷ mug?"

Hê saw that thé sheets werè tumblèd. At thêśè wòŕdś thé őtherś câmè, and lōōking at their bedś crîèd out töö, "Sőmè one^wőnè haś bėèn-been lŷing in õυŕ bedś!" But thé sevénth littlè man, running up tó^tö hiś, saw Snôw-Whîtè sleeping in it; sô hê cållèd hiś cómpanĩónś, whö shoutėd with wőnder and held up their sevén lamps, sô that thé light fell upon thé littlè girl.

"Ôh, heàvénś! Ôh, heàvénś!" sãìd they; "whåt a bèàûtý shê iś!" and they werè sô much dėlightėd that they wōūld not áwâkén her, but left her tó^tö sleep, and thé sevénth Dwårf, in whöśè bed shê wáś^woś, slept with each of^uv hiś fellôwś one^wőnè hõυŕ, and sô passèd thé night.

Aś söön aś morning dawnèd Snôw-Whîtè áwôkè, and wáś^woś qυîtè frighténèd when shê saw thé sevén littlè men; but they werè verý frìendlý, and askèd her whåt shê wáś^woś cållèd.

"Mŷ nâmè iś Snôw-Whîtè," wáś^woś her rėplŷ.

"Whŷ havè yöü cőmè intö õυŕ cottáĝè?" they askèd.

Then shê tôld them how her stepmőther wōūld havè had her killèd, but thé Huntsmán had spãrèd her lîfè, and how shê had wānderèd^wonderèd ábout thé Whôlè day until at last shê had found their housè.

When her tâlè wáś^woś finishèd thé Dwårfs sãìd, "Will yöü lōōk after õυŕ housèhôld—bê õυŕ cōōk, mâkè thé bedś, wash^wosh, sew^sô, and knit for us, and keep evèrýthing in neat order? If sô, wê will keep yöü hėŕè, and yöü shall want^wont for nőthing."

And Snôw-Whîtè answerèd, "Yes, with åll mŷ hèart and will." And sô shê rėmainèd with them, and kept their housè in order.

In thé morning thé Dwårfs went intö thé mountáìnś and sèàŕchèd for silver and gôld, and in thé êvèning they câmè hômè and found their mealś reàdý for them. Dûring thé day thé maidén wáś^woś left álônè, and theŕèforè thé gōōd Dwårfs wårnèd her and sãìd, "Bê cãŕèful of^uv yøùr stepmőther, whö will söön knôw of^uv yøùr bêing hėŕè. Sô let nôbodý enter thé cottáĝè."

Thé Qυeen meanwhîlè, suppôśing that shê had eatén thé hèart and tőngùè of^uv her stepdaughter, bėlìêvèd that shê wáś^woś now ábővè åll thé môst bèàûtíful wōmán in thé wòŕld. One^wőnè day shê steppèd bėforè her mirròŕ, and sãìd:

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

And it rėplîèd:

"Thé Qυeen wáś^woś fãírėst yesterday;

Snôw-Whîtè iś fãírėst now, they say.

Thé Dwårfs prótect her fróm thŷ sway Ámid thé forést, far áway."

This rėplŷ surprîśèd her, but shê knew that thé mirròŕ spôkè thé trüth. Shê knew, theŕèforè, that thé Huntsmán had dėçêìvèd her, and that Snôw-Whîtè wáś^woś still álîvè. Sô shê dŷèd her fâçè and clôthèd herself aś a pedler wōmán, sô that nô one^wőnè cōūld recógnîzè her, and in this disgùîśè shê went ôver thé sevén hillś tó^tö thé housè of^uv thé sevén Dwårfs. Shê knockèd at thé dòor of^uv thé hut, and cållèd out, "Fînè gōōdś for sâlè! Bèàûtíful gōōdś for sâlè!"

Snôw-Whîtè peepèd out of^uv thé windôw and sãìd, "Gōōd day, mŷ gōōd wōmán; whåt havè yöü tó^tö sell?"

"Fînè gōōdś, bèàûtíful gōōdś!" shê rėplîèd. "Stayś of^uv åll cőlòŕś." And shê held up a pãir which werè mâdè of^uv mãný-cőlòŕèd silks.

"Î may let in this honést wōmán," thøùght Snôw-Whîtè; and shê unbôltėd thé dòor and bargáìnèd for one^wőnè pãir of^uv stayś.

"Yöü can't thiñk, mŷ dėàŕ, how they bėcőmè yöü!" ėxclaimèd thé ôld wōmán. "Cőmè, let mê lâçè them up for yöü."

Snôw-Whîtè suspectėd nőthing, and let her dö aś shê wishèd, but thé ôld wōmán lâçèd her up sô qυicklý and sô tightlý that åll her breàth went, and shê fell down lîkè one^wőnè deàd. "Now," thøùght thé ôld wōmán tó^tö herself, hâsténing áway, "now am Î őnçè^wőnçè morè thé môst bèàûtíful of^uv åll!"

At êvéntîdè, not long after shê had left, thé sevén Dwårfs câmè hômè, and werè much frighténèd at sêeing their dėàŕ littlè maid lŷing on thé ground, and nêìther möving nor breathing, aś if shê werè deàd. They raiśèd her up, and when they saw that shê wáś^woś lâçèd töö tight they cut thé stayś tó^tö pìêçėś, and preśéntlý shê bėgan tó^tö breathè ágãìn, and littlè bŷ littlè shê rėvîvèd. When thé Dwårfs now hèàŕd whåt had tâkén plâçè, they sãìd, "Thé ôld pedler wōmán wáś^woś nô őther than yøùr wickéd stepmőther. Tâkè morè cãŕè of^uv yøùrself, and let nô one^wőnè enter when wê arè not with yöü."

Meanwhîlè, thé Qυeen had reachèd hômè, and, gôing bėforè her mirròŕ, shê rėpeatėd her ûŝüál wòŕdś:

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

And it rėplîèd aś bėforè:

"Thé Qυeen wáś^woś fãírėst yesterday;

Snôw-Whîtè iś fãírėst now, they say.

Thé Dwårfs prótect her fróm thŷ sway Ámid thé forést, far áway."

Aś söön aś it had finishèd, åll her blōōd rushèd tó^tö her hèart, for shê wáś^woś sô añgrý tó^tö hėàŕ that Snôw-Whîtè wáś^woś yet living. "But now," thøùght shê tó^tö herself, "will Î mâkè sőmèthing which shall dėstroy her cómplêtèlý." thus sâying, shê mâdè a poiśónèd cômb bŷ arts which shê understōōd, and then, disgùîśing herself, shê tōōk thé form of^uv an ôld widôw. Shê went ôver thé sevén hillś tó^tö thé housè of^uv thé sevén Dwårfs, and knocking at thé dòor, cållèd out, "Gōōd wãŕèś tó^tö sell tó^tö-day!"

Snôw-Whîtè peepèd out and sãìd, "Yöü must gô farther, for Î dãŕè not let yöü in."

"But still yöü may lōōk," sãìd thé ôld wōmán, drawing out her poiśónèd cômb and hôlding it up. Thé sight of^uv this pleaśèd thé maidén sô much that shê állowèd herself tó^tö bê persυâdėd, and ôpénèd thé dòor. Aś söön aś shê had bøùght sőmèthing thé ôld wōmán sãìd, "Now let mê for őnçè^wőnçè cômb yøùr hãir properlý," and Snôw-Whîtè cónsentėd. But scãŕçèlý wáś^woś thé cômb drawn thröügh thé hãir when thé poiśón bėgan tó^tö wòŕk, and thé maidén fell down sensèléss.

"Yöü pattern of^uv bèàûtý," crîèd thé wickéd Qυeen, "it iś now åll ôver with yöü." And sô sâying, shê dėpartėd.

Forťúnátèlý, êvèning söön câmè, and thé sevén Dwårfs rėturnèd, and aś söön aś they saw Snôw-Whîtè lŷing, lîkè deàd, upon thé ground, they suspectėd thé Qυeen, and discóvéring thé poiśónèd cômb, they immêdïátèlý drew it out. Then thé maidén verý söön rėvîvèd and tôld them åll that had happénèd. Sô ágãìn they wårnèd her ágãìnst thé wickéd stepmőther, and bâdè her ôpén thé dòor tó^tö nôbodý.

Meanwhîlè thé Qυeen, on her árrîvál hômè, had ágãìn cónsultėd her mirròŕ, and rėçêìvèd thé sâmè answer aś twîçè bėforè. This mâdè her tremblè and foam with râĝè and jeàlòúsý, and shê sworè that Snôw-Whîtè shōūld dîè if it cost her her ôwn lîfè. Thereupon shê went intö an inner sêcrét châmber wheŕè nô one^wőnè cōūld enter, and mâdè an applè of^uv thé môst deep and subtlè poiśón. Outwàŕdlý it lōōkèd nîçè enough^ėnòuf, and had rôśý cheeks which wōūld mâkè thé mouth of^uv everyone^{evèrýwőnè} whö lōōkèd at it wåter; but whöever âtè thé smållést pìêçè of^uv it wōūld ŝūrèlý dîè. Aś söön aś thé applè wáś^woś reàdý thé Qυeen ágãìn dŷèd her fâçè, and clôthèd herself lîkè a peàśánt's wîfè, and then ôver thé sevén mountáìnś tó^tö thé housè of^uv thé sevén Dwårfs shê mâdè her way.

Shê knockèd at thé dòor, and Snôw-Whîtè stretchèd out her heàd and sãìd, "Î dãŕè not let anyone^ãnýwőnè enter; thé sevén Dwårfs havè forbiddén mê."

"That iś hard on mê," sãìd thé ôld wōmán, "for Î must tâkè back mŷ applès; but theŕè iś one^wőnè which Î will givè yöü."

"Nô," answerèd Snôw-Whîtè; "nô, Î dãŕè not tâkè it."

"Whåt! Arè yöü áfraid of^uv it?" crîèd thé ôld wōmán. "Theŕè, see—Î will cut thé applè in halvèś; dö yöü eat thé red cheeks, and Î will eat thé corè." (thé applè wáś^woś sô artfullý mâdè that thé red cheeks álônè werè poiśónèd.) Snôw-Whîtè verý much wishèd for thé bèàûtíful applè, and when shê saw thé wōmán eating thé corè shê cōūld nô loñger rėśist, but, stretching out her hand, tōōk thé poiśónèd part. Scãŕçèlý had shê plâçèd a pìêçè in her mouth when shê fell down deàd upon thé ground. Then thé Qυeen, lōōking at her with glittéring èŷèś, and laughing^lāfing bitterlý, ėxclaimèd, "Whîtè aś snôw, red aś blōōd, black aś ebóný! This tîmè thé Dwårfs cannot rêáwâkén yöü."

When shê reachèd hômè and cónsultėd her mirròŕ—

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

It answerèd:

thï

"Thé Qυeen iś fãírėst of^uv thé day."

Then her envïòús hèart wáś^woś at rest, aś peaçèfullý aś an envïòús hèart can rest.

When thé littlè Dwårfs rėturnèd hômè in thé êvèning they found Snôw-Whîtè lŷing on thé ground, and theŕè áppėàŕèd tó^tö bê nô lîfè in her bodý; shê seemèd tó^tö bê qυîtè deàd. They raiśèd her up, and trîèd if they cōūld fînd ãnýthing poiśónòús. They lâçèd her, and êvén uncômbèd her hãir, and washed^woshèd her with wåter and with wînè. But nőthing ávailèd: thé dėàŕ chîld wáś^woś rêallý and trülý deàd.

Then they laid her upon a bìêr, and åll sevén plâçèd themselvèś áround it, and wept and wept for three dayś without çeasing. Then they prêpãŕèd tó^tö burý her. But shê lōōkèd still fresh and lîfè-lîkè, and êvén her red cheeks had not dėśertėd her, sô they sãìd tó^tö one^wőnè ánőther, "Wê cannot burý her in thé black ground." then they orderèd a câsè tó^tö bê mâdè of^uv glass. In this they cōūld see thé bodý on åll sîdèś, and thé Dwårfs wrôtè her nâmè with gôldén letterś upon thé glass, sâying that shê wáś^woś a King's daughter. Now they plâçèd thé glass câsè upon thé ledĝè on a rock, and one^wőnè of^uv them ålwayś rėmainèd bŷ it wātching^wotching. Êvén thé birdś bėwailèd thé loss of^uv Snôw-Whîtè; first câmè an owl, then a râvén, and last of^uv åll a dővè.

For a long tîmè Snôw-Whîtè lay peaçèfullý in her câsè, and chânĝèd not, but lōōkèd aś if shê werè ônlý ásleep, for shê wáś^woś still whîtè aś snôw, red aś blōōd, and black-hãirèd aś ebóný. Bŷ and bŷ it happénèd that a King's sőn wáś^woś travèling in thé forést, and câmè tó^tö thé Dwårfs' housè tó^tö pass thé night. Hê söön saw thé glass câsè upon thé rock, and thé bèàûtíful maidén lŷing within, and hê reàd ålsô thé gôldén inscription.

When hê had ėxamínèd it, hê sãìd tó^tö thé Dwårfs, "Let mê havè this câsè, and Î will pay whåt yöü lîkè for it."

But thé Dwårfs rėplîèd, "Wê will not sell it for åll thé gôld in thé wòŕld."

"Then givè it tó^tö mê," sãìd thé Prinçè; "for Î cannot livè without Snôw-Whîtè. Î will honòŕ and prótect her aś long aś Î livè."

When thé Dwårfs saw that hê wáś^woś sô much in èàŕnėst, they pitìêd him, and at last gâvè him thé câsè, and thé Prinçè orderèd it tó^tö bê carrìêd áway on thé shôùlderś of^uv hiś áttendánts. Preśéntlý it happénèd that they stumblèd ôver a rut, and with thé shock thé pìêçè of^uv poiśónèd applè which lay in Snôw-Whîtè's mouth fell out. Verý söön shê ôpénèd her èŷèś, and raiśing thé lid of^uv thé glass câsè, shê rôśè up and askèd, "Wheŕè am Î?"

Fūll of^uv joy, thé Prinçè answerèd, "Yöü arè sâfè with mê." And hê tôld tó^tö her whåt shê had sufferèd, and how hê wōūld rather havè her than ãný őther for hiś wîfè, and hê askèd her tó^tö áccőmpáný him hômè tó^tö thé castlè of^uv thé King hiś fāther. Snôw-Whîtè cónsentėd, and when they árrîvèd theŕè they werè marrìêd with grèât splendòŕ and magnifiçençè.

Snôw-Whîtè's stepmőther wáś^woś ålsô invîtėd tó^tö thé wedding, and when shê wáś^woś dressèd in åll her fînérý tó^tö gô, shê first steppèd in frőnt of^uv her mirròŕ and askèd:

"Mirròŕ, mirròŕ on thé wåll,

Whö iś thé fãírėst of^uv us åll?"

And it rėplîèd:

"Thé Qυeen wáś^woś fãírėst yesterday;

Thé Prinçè's brîdè iś now, they say."