Reading Notes Part B: Snow-White
Once upon of time, it was the middle of winter. Snow flakes falling and the queen sat at her window working away on her embroidery. She gazed into the snow, and pricked her finger. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The queen said to herself, "Oh that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the embroidery frame!"
The queen gave birth to her white as snow skin, and blood red lips daughter. The queen died after her birth.
A year had gone by, and the king married a beautiful woman. She could not bear to let anyone be more beautiful than herself. She had a magic-looking glass and would stand before it.
Looking-glass upon the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?
"You are the fairest of them all," replied the looking-glass.
She knew the looking-glass spoke the truth.
Snow White began to grow prettier and prettier. She was now seven years old. Far more beautiful than the queen herself. The queen went to the looking-glass and said;
Looking-glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest of us all?
"Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true,
But Snow-white fairer is than you."
Who is fairest of us all?
"Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true,
But Snow-white fairer is than you."
The queen was envy of Snow White. She hated her.
The queen went out to find the huntsman and said, "take the child out into the woods so that I may set eyes on her no more. You must put her to death and bring me her heart for a token."
The huntsman went on and found Snow White. "Oh, dear huntsman, do not take my life; I will go away into the wild wood and never come home again," said Snow White.
The huntsman had pity on her and let her go. He for sure thought that the animals would hunt her down, but Snow White was too good for the animals.
An animal ran by the huntsman, he killed it and took out its' heart. He gave the heart to the queen, claiming it was Snow White's.
Snow White was full of terror. Alone in the wilderness. Vicious animals surrounding her. No where for her to go. She ran over sharp stones, but they did not harm her.
She ran as long as her feet could keep going. She finally ran into a small house. She decided to go inside and rest. Everything was so small inside. There was a little table, chairs, kitchen utensils, a bedroom, and everything imaginable inside a house.
Snow White was so hungry she ate a small bowl of porridge. She was so tired she decided to climb into a small bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Bibliography:
This story is part of the Brothers Grimm (Crane) unit. Story source: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).
This is an image of the evil queen looking into the looking-glass.
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