Favorite Fairy Tales | Page 3

Snow-White peeped out of the window and said, "Good day, my good
woman; what have you to sell?"
"Fine goods, beautiful goods!" she replied. "Stays of all colors." And
she held up a pair which were made of many-colored silks.
"I may let in this honest woman," thought Snow-White; and she
unbolted the door and bargained for one pair of stays.
"You can't think, my dear, how they become you!" exclaimed the old
woman. "Come, let me lace them up for you."
Snow-White suspected nothing, and let her do as she wished, but the
old woman laced her up so quickly and so tightly that all her breath

went, and she fell down like one dead. "Now," thought the old woman
to herself, hastening away, "now am I once more the most beautiful of
all!"
[Illustration]
At eventide, not long after she had left, the seven Dwarfs came home,
and were much frightened at seeing their dear little maid lying on the
ground, and neither moving nor breathing, as if she were dead. They
raised her up, and when they saw that she was laced too tight they cut
the stays to pieces, and presently she began to breathe again, and little
by little she revived. When the Dwarfs now heard what had taken place,
they said, "The old pedler woman was no other than your wicked
stepmother. Take more care of yourself, and let no one enter when we
are not with you."
Meanwhile, the Queen had reached home, and, going before her mirror,
she repeated her usual words:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"
and it replied as before:
"The Queen was fairest yesterday; Snow-White is fairest now, they say.
The Dwarfs protect her from thy sway Amid the forest, far away."
As soon as it had finished, all her blood rushed to her heart, for she was
so angry to hear that Snow-White was yet living. "But now," thought
she to herself, "will I make something which shall destroy her
completely." Thus saying, she made a poisoned comb by arts which she
understood, and then, disguising herself, she took the form of an old
widow. She went over the seven hills to the house of the seven Dwarfs,
and knocking at the door, called out, "Good wares to sell to-day!"
Snow-White peeped out and said, "You must go farther, for I dare not
let you in."
[Illustration]

"But still you may look," said the old woman, drawing out her poisoned
comb and holding it up. The sight of this pleased the maiden so much
that she allowed herself to be persuaded, and opened the door. As soon
as she had bought something the old woman said, "Now let me for once
comb your hair properly," and Snow-White consented. But scarcely
was the comb drawn through the hair when the poison began to work,
and the maiden fell down senseless.
"You pattern of beauty," cried the wicked Queen, "it is now all over
with you." And so saying, she departed.
Fortunately, evening soon came, and the seven Dwarfs returned, and as
soon as they saw Snow-White lying, like dead, upon the ground, they
suspected the Queen, and discovering the poisoned comb, they
immediately drew it out. Then the maiden very soon revived and told
them all that had happened. So again they warned her against the
wicked stepmother, and bade her open the door to nobody.
Meanwhile the Queen, on her arrival home, had again consulted her
mirror, and received the same answer as twice before. This made her
tremble and foam with rage and jealousy, and she swore that
Snow-White should die if it cost her her own life. Thereupon she went
into an inner secret chamber where no one could enter, and made an
apple of the most deep and subtle poison. Outwardly it looked nice
enough, and had rosy cheeks which would make the mouth of everyone
who looked at it water; but whoever ate the smallest piece of it would
surely die. As soon as the apple was ready the Queen again dyed her
face, and clothed herself like a peasant's wife, and then over the seven
mountains to the house of the seven Dwarfs she made her way.
She knocked at the door, and Snow-White stretched out her head and
said, "I dare not let anyone enter; the seven Dwarfs have forbidden
me."
"That is hard on me," said the old woman, "for I must take back my
apples; but there is one which I will give you."
"No," answered Snow-White; "no, I dare not take it."

"What! are you afraid of it?" cried the old woman. "There, see--I will
cut the apple in halves; do you eat the red cheeks, and I will eat the
core." (The apple was