登陆注册
16209800000001

第1章 Little Snow-White

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a Queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst she was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow.And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, and she thought to herself:“Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window frame.”

Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, and as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony;and she was therefore called Little Snow-white. And when the child was born, the Queen died.

After a year had passed the King took to himself another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear that anyone else should surpass her in beauty.She had a wonderful looking-glass, and when she stood in front of it and looked at herself in it, and said:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

The looking-glass answered:

Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all!

Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke the truth.

But Snow-white was growing up, and grew more and more beautiful;and when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the day, and more beautiful than the Queen herself. And once when the Queen asked her Looking-glass:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

It answered:

Thou art fairer than all who are here, Lady Queen.

But more beautiful still is Snow-white, as I ween.

Then the Queen was shocked, and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour, whenever she looked at Snow-white, her heart heaved in her breast, she hated the girl so much.

And envy and pride grew higher and higher in her heart like a weed, so that she had no peace day or night. She called a huntsman, and said:“Take the child away into the forest;I will no longer have her in my sight.Kill her, and bring me back her lung and liver as a token.”The huntsman obeyed, and took her away;but when he had drawn his knife, and was about to pierce Snow-white's innocent heart, she began to weep, and said:“Ah, dear huntsman, leave me my life!I will run away into the wild forest, and never come home again.”

And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pity on her and said:“Run away, then, you poor child.”“The wild beasts will soon have devoured you,”thought he, and yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from his heart since it was no longer needful for him to kill her. And as a young boar just then came running by he stabbed it, and cut out its lung and liver and took them to the Queen as proof that the child was dead.The cook had to salt them, and the wicked Queen ate them, and thought she had eaten the lung and liver of Snow-white.

But now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so terrified that she looked at all the leaves on the trees, and did not know what to do. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm.

She ran as long as her feet would go until it was almost evening;then she saw a little cottage and went into it to rest herself. Everything in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than can be told.There was a table on which was a white cover, and seven little plates, and on each plate a little spoon;moreover, there were seven little knives and forks, and seven little mugs.Against the wall stood seven little beds side by side, and covered with Snow-white counterpanes.

Little Snow-white was so hungry and thirsty that she ate some vegetables and bread from each plate and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for she did not wish to take all from one only. Then, as she was so tired, she laid herself down on one of the little beds, but none of them suited her;one was too long, another too short, but at last she found that the seventh one was right, and so she remained in it, said a prayer and went to sleep.

When it was quite dark the owners of the cottage came back;they were seven dwarfs who dug and delved in the mountains for ore. They lit their seven candles, and as it was now light within the cottage they saw that someone had been there, for everything was not in the same order in which they had left it.

The first said:“Who has been sitting on my chair?”

The second:“Who has been eating off my plate?”

The third:“Who has been taking some of my bread?”

The fourth:“Who has been eating my vegetables?”

The fifth:“Who has been using my fork?”

The sixth:“Who has been cutting with my knife?”

The seventh:“Who has been drinking out of my mug?”

Then the first looked round and saw that there was a little hollow on his bed, and he said:“Who has been getting into my bed?”The others came up and each called out:“Somebody has been lying in my bed too,”But the seventh when he looked at his bed saw little Snow-white who was lying asleep therein. And he called the others, who came running up, and they cried out with astonishment, and brought their seven little candles and let the light fall on little Snow-white.“Oh, heavens!Oh, heavens!”cried they,“what a lovely child!”and they were so glad that they did not wake her up, but let her sleep on in the bed.And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so passed the night.

When it was morning little Snow-white awoke, and was frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly and asked her what her name was.“My name is Snow-white,”she answered.“How have you come to our house?”said the dwarfs.Then she told them that her step mother had wished to have her killed, but that the huntsman had spared her life, and that she had run for the whole day, until at last she had found their dwelling.The dwarfs said:“If you will take care of our house, cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit, and if you will keep everything neat and clean, you can stay with us and you shall want for nothing.”“Yes,”said Snow-white,“with all my heart,”and she stayed with them.She kept the house in order for them;in the mornings they went to the mountains and looked for copper and gold, in the evenings they came back, and then their supper had to be ready.The girl was alone the whole day, so the good dwarfs warned her and said:“Beware of your stepmother, she will soon know that you are here;be sure to let no one come in.”

But the Queen, believing that she had eaten Snow-white's lung and liver, could not but think that she was again the first and most beautiful of all;and she went to her looking-glass and said:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

And the glass answered:

Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see,

But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,

Snow-white is still alive and well,

And none is so fair as she.

Then she was astounded, for she knew that the looking-glass never spoke falsely, and she knew that the huntsman had betrayed her, and that little Snow-white was still alive.

And so she thought and thought again how she might kill her, for so long as she was not the fairest in the whole land, envy let her have no rest. And when she had at last thought of something to do, she painted her face, and dressed herself like an old pedlarwoman, and no one could have known her.In this disguise she went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, and knocked at the door and cried:“Pretty things to sell, very cheap, very cheap.”Little Snow-white looked out of the window and called out:“Goodday, my good woman, what have you to sell?”“Good things, pretty things,”she answered;“stay laces of all colours,”and she pulled out one which was woven of bright coloured silk.“I may let the worthy old woman in,”thought Snow-white, and she unbolted the door and bought the pretty laces.“Child,”said the old woman,“what a fright you look;come, I will lace you properly for once.”Snow-white had no suspicion, but stood before her, and let herself be laced with the new laces.But the old woman laced so quickly and laced so tightly that Snow-white lost her breath and fell down as if dead.“Now I am the most beautiful,”said the Queen to herself, and ran away.

Not long afterwards, in the evening, the seven dwarfs came home, but how shocked they were when they saw their dear little Snow-white lying on the ground, and that she neither stirred nor moved, and seemed to be dead. They lifted her up, and, as they saw that she was laced too tightly, they cut the laces;then she began to breathe a little, and after a while came to life again.When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said:“The old pedlarwoman was no one else than the wicked Queen;take care and let no one come in when we are not with you.”

But the wicked woman when she had reached home went in front of the glass and asked:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

And it answered as before:

Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see,

But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,

Snow-white is still alive and well,

And none is so fair as she.

When she heard that, all her blood rushed to her heart with fear, for she saw plainly that little Snow-white was again alive.“But now,”she said,“I will think of something that shall really put an end to you,”and by the help of witchcraft, which she understood, she made a poisonous comb. Then she disguised herself and took the shape of another old woman.So she went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, knocked at the door, and cried:“Good things to sell, cheap, cheap!”Little Snow-white looked out and said:“Go away;I cannot let anyone come in.”“I suppose you can look,”said the old woman, and pulled the poisonous comb out and held it up. It pleased the girl so well that she let herself be beguiled, and opened the door.When they had made a bargain the old woman said:“Now I will comb you properly for once.”Poor little Snow-white had no suspicion, and let the old woman do as she pleased, but hardly had she put the comb in her hair than the poison in it took effect, and the girl fell down senseless.“You paragon of beauty,”said the wicked woman,“you are finished now,”and she went away.

But fortunately it was almost evening, when the seven dwarfs came home. When they saw Snow-white lying as if dead upon the ground they at once suspected the step-mother, and they looked and found the poisoned comb.Scarcely had they taken it out when Snow-white came to herself, and told them what had happened.Then they warned her once more to be upon her guard and to open the door to no one.

The Queen, at home, went in front of the glass and said:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

Then it answered as before:

Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see,

But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell,

Snow-white is still alive and well,

And none is so fair as she.

When she heard the glass speak thus she trembled and shook with rage.“Snow-white shall die,”she cried,“even if it costs me my life!”

Thereupon she went into a quite secret, lonely room, where no one ever came, and there she made a very poisonous apple. Outside it looked pretty, white with a red cheek, so that everyone who saw it longed for it;but whoever ate a piece of it must surely die.

When the apple was ready she painted her face, and dressed herself up as a farmer's wife, and so she went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs. She knocked at the door.Snow-white put her head out of the window and said:“I cannot let anyone in;the seven dwarfs have forbidden me.”“It is all the same to me,”answered the woman,“I shall soon get rid of my apples.There, I will give you one.”

“No,”said Snow-white,“I dare not take anything.”“Are you afraid of poison?”said the old woman;“look, I will cut the apple in two pieces;you eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white.”The apple was so cunningly made that only the red cheek was poisoned. Snow-white longed for the fine apple, and when she saw that the woman ate part of it she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half.But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth than she fell down dead. Then the Queen looked at her with a dreadful look, and laughed aloud and said:“White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony-wood!This time the dwarfs cannot wake you up again.”

And when she asked of the looking-glass at home:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

It answered at last:

Oh, Queen, in this land thou art fairest of all.

Then her envious heart had rest, so far as an envious heart can have rest.

The dwarfs, when they came home in the evening, found Snow-white lying upon the ground;she breathed no longer and was dead. They lifted her up, looked to see whether they could find anything poisonous, unlaced her, combed her hair, washed her with water and wine, but it was all of no use;the poor child was dead, and remained dead.They laid her upon a bier, and all seven of them sat round it and wept for her, and wept three days long.Then they were going to bury her, but she still looked as if she were living, and still had her pretty red cheeks.They said:“We could not bury her in the dark ground,”and they had a transparent coffin of glass made, so that she could be seen from all sides, and they laid her in it, and wrote her name upon it in golden letters, and that she was a king's daughter. Then they put the coffin out upon the mountain, and one of them always stayed by it and watched it.And birds came too, and wept for Snow-white:first an owl, then a raven, and last a dove.

And now Snow-white lay a long, long time in the coffin, and she did not change, but looked as if she were asleep;for she was as white as snow, as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony. It happened, however, that a king's son came into the forest, and went to the dwarfs'house to spend the night.He saw the coffin on the mountain, and the beautiful Snow-white within it, and read what was written upon it in golden letters.Then he said to the dwarfs:“Let me have the coffin, I will give you whatever you want for it.”But the dwarfs answered:“We will not part with it for all the gold in the world.”Then he said:“Let me have it as a gift, for I cannot live without seeing Snow-white.I will honour and prize her as my dearest possession.”As he spoke in this way the good dwarfs took pity upon him, and gave him the coffin.

And now the King's son had it carried away by his servants on their shoulders. And it happened that they stumbled over a treestump, and with the shock the poisonous piece of apple which Snow-white had bitten off came out of her throat.And before long she opened her eyes, lifted up the lid of the coffin, sat up, and was once more alive.“Oh, heavens, where am I?”she cried.The King's son, full of joy, said:“You are with me,”and told her what had happened, and said:“I love you more than everything in the world;come with me to my father's palace, you shall be my wife.”

And Snow-white was willing, and went with him, and their wedding was held with great show and splendour. But Snow-white's wicked stepmother was also bidden to the feast.When she had arrayed herself in beautiful clothes she went before the looking-glass, and said:

Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,

Who in this land is the fairest of all?

The glass answered:

Oh, Queen, of all here the fairest art thou,

But the young Queen is fairer by far as I trow.

Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was so wretched, so utterly wretched, that she knew not what to do. At first she would not go to the wedding at all, but she had no peace, and had to go to see the young Queen.And when she went in she recognized Snow-white;and she stood still with rage and fear, and could not stir.But iron slippers had already been put upon the fire, and they were brought in with tongs, and set before her.Then she was forced to put on the red-hot shoes, and dance until she dropped down dead.

同类推荐
  • 西游记(语文新课标课外读物)

    西游记(语文新课标课外读物)

    由于许多世界文学名著卷帙浩繁,而广大中、小学生时间又有限,我们便在参考和借鉴以前译本许多优点和长处的基础上,在忠实原著的基础上进行了高度浓缩,保持了原著的梗概和精华,使之便于我们全面而轻松地阅读。为了全面提高广大中小学生的知识基础,培养阅读的兴趣和爱好,这套课外读物还收编了大家喜闻乐见的广博知识,把阅读名著与掌握知识结合起来,扩大阅读的深度和范围,这正是设计本套读物的最大特色。因此,本套课外读物有着极强的广泛性、知识性、阅读性、趣味性和基础性,是广大中小学生阅读和收藏的最佳版本。
  • 青少年应该知道的病毒

    青少年应该知道的病毒

    本书主要介绍了病毒的概念、起源、特征、分类、结构、生殖等方面内容。另外还简介了病毒对人类或其他生物的危害和在环境中所起的作用等内容。
  • 世界经典智慧故事全集:明事知情的故事

    世界经典智慧故事全集:明事知情的故事

    本套丛书图文并茂,格调高雅,具有很强的系统性、代表性、趣味性和可读性,是中小学生培养阅读与写作能力的配套系列读物,非常适合广大中小学生学习和收藏,也是各级图书馆收藏的最佳版本。
  • 昙花一现小班长

    昙花一现小班长

    神童小木从2年级跳级到4年4班。老师安排他和燕儿做同桌,燕儿好幸福。随之而来的却是无尽的尴尬。最典型的尴尬是小木上W.C,让燕儿为他送手纸……班长赵子龙因替小木“复仇”,让黄老师革了职。黄老师安排小木任代理班长,想让他在大风大浪中锻炼成长。不料,小木当班长的第一天,便被大风大浪“淹死”了,成了昙花一现小班长。杨南珀万代表实验小学向4年4班送挑战数学书。实验小学是名牌学校,杨南珀万目中无人,视4年4班的男生为不堪一击的棉花糖。数学挑战赛究竟鹿死谁手呢。
  • 益智妇幼的故事

    益智妇幼的故事

    童话是世界儿童文学中永不凋谢的花冠,是与我们少年儿童捉迷藏的小朋友。童话奠定了我们的人生基础,影响着我们的一生。因此应该把那些名篇珍品传给后代,陶冶后代。
热门推荐
  • 我学习装B的艰难历程

    我学习装B的艰难历程

    一个智商高,情商低的懵懂少年,渴望亲情,渴望友情,渴望爱情,命途多舛,生活像一只硕大无边的万花筒展现给他千万种奇妙又奇怪的经历。他满心欢喜的想成为一个万人敬仰、一呼百应的“成功人士”,但是生活却告诉他:其实你只需学会装B。。。PS:这可是一部意识流的小说哟~~~如果换一个不装B的说法~~~这其实是一部乱七八糟的小说
  • 万劫不复裴枫

    万劫不复裴枫

    三清化一,六道重衍,轮回又是否会有尽头?是该坚守道心、顺其自然,还是该逆天改命、万劫不复?!悲悯泣世,万古一空。人生如梦,我为何?这天地··又为何?!!裴枫原本在一个平凡的小山村中过着平静的生活,怎奈何,千年前的那场陨世之劫,并没有被历史的的尘埃封存,仙佛鬼妖魔也相继再现人间,共同揭开了远古世界的神秘面纱。演绎着充满传奇色彩的远古世界究竟是怎样的惊世骇俗,且看冷酷少年裴枫如何踏上武道天途,开始他的战天之途。青石为踏,白雪成裘。我的道,不需要回头。也许,强者注定不凡!!
  • 萌鱼歌手

    萌鱼歌手

    变身小说(男变女)(百合)不喜勿入这是一个呆萌小美人鱼歌手行走末世的故事。
  • 跨越千年:魂颜魄汐

    跨越千年:魂颜魄汐

    她携前世今生而来,泛黄的旧信纸,墨迹早已干涸,魂魄,我从未后悔认识你,对不起不能陪你走到最后!好好活下去!魂魄,我走了!忘了我!这一世,她血染婚纱来成全他———
  • 逗比女友惹人怜

    逗比女友惹人怜

    本来想给大家留下好印象的她,在开学第一天迟到了,还有个比她来的还有晚的,连报告都没说就直接进了教室一个是如天使般温柔的陈轩,一个是如恶魔般冷酷,却内心脆弱的韩允熙。迷惑在其中的少女,应该何去何从
  • 天上掉下个萌宝宝

    天上掉下个萌宝宝

    "哥哥眼睛好漂亮,宝宝要。"某宝一脸花痴。"给宝宝。"某少毫无原则的说。"宝宝喜欢那个漂亮男孩。"某宝期待着。"漂亮吗?"某少一脸傲娇,"有我漂亮吗?""是。"某宝诚实的说,但是男孩也漂亮啊,纠结的转着手指。"宝宝只要我一个就好了。"某少小小年纪就打着拐跑萌萌萝莉的大思想!本文纯属就一宠文,喜欢看这类书的就快进来看看,喜欢的话就收藏呢!
  • 鬼妃爱财:抢夫有道

    鬼妃爱财:抢夫有道

    重生了?是个前朝皇族的后人?还是个意图谋反复国的皇族后人?夭寿了!收拾包裹,爬上墙头,连夜出逃。“呀拉索,从今往后吾乃赵家流绾!”只此,一嗓。天下,从此大乱。江湖,从此不安生。有人想要扎小人害我?有人想要暗中给我投毒?还有原主的亲姐姐跑来揭发自己是个大汉奸?当我前世凤凰一脉的家主之位是白当的吗?!关门,放狼!打的你们满地找牙!收女鬼,捉狼妖,驭女尸,待看她如何再次光芒异世。(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 醉是五月花里情

    醉是五月花里情

    “因为不想让你不喜欢,因为不想让你为难,所以选择了守护。”因为这句话他与她擦肩而过,因为这句话他选择回国,因为这句话他放弃他乡的美好前程。她不是忘了他,只是时间不等人。忘了他的模样却还记得昔日好友的名字。那个名字她还记得,只是……
  • 奇世缘:忠犬娇妻的攻心计

    奇世缘:忠犬娇妻的攻心计

    何为忠犬系?是对另一半百依百顺,坚决抵制来自他人的诱惑和勾搭,大概就是护食犬,永远且绝对忠诚……大军压境,她身后的将士信奉神明那般信任她,他未曾开口,只是长身而立,而她的理智瞬间溃不成军,丢盔卸甲,无处盾逃而后,她单膝跪地缓缓道来:记得那日有人问‘倘若有朝一日,家国再难两相全,我又会做何选择?是选家,还是选国,选天下?’我未曾开口,现在,我要告诉天下人,‘我这人不在乎千夫所指,不畏惧众叛亲离,只要无关乎你,家国天下倒是也可以守,可若是因此波及你,那便不要妄想什么情分’那年,北宫宁舍弃了她投入真情的一方阔土,践踏了爱她、信她、敬她之人,世人皆是厌弃、嘲讽她,说她像条狗一样,她一笑过之,承认了。
  • 换不回的时光

    换不回的时光

    一段换不回的时光,一个永不停歇的步调。曾经那些美好无虑的回忆……