Stranica 270 [270]
214 GRIMM "S FAIRY TALES.
Now, Snow-white was growing prettier and prettier, and!
when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as day, far)
more so than the queen herself. So one day when the queen!
went to her mirror and said,
‘** Looking-glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest of us all?”
It answered,
c Queen, you are full fair, tis true,
But Snow-white fairer is than you."
This gave the queen a great shock, and she became yellow
and green with envy, and from that hour her heart turned
against Snow-white, and she hated her. And envy and pride
like ill weeds grew in her heart higher every day, until she had
no peace day or night. At last she sent for a 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 consented, and led her away ; but when he
drew his cutlass to pierce Snow-white’s innocent heart, she
began to weep, and to say,
“Oh, dear huntsman, do not take my life ; ‘I will go away
into the wild wood, and never come home again.” |
And as she was so lovely the huntsman had pity on her,
and said,
‘Away with you then, poor child ;” for he thought the)
wild animals would be sure to devour her, and it was as if a!
stone had been rolled away from his heart when he spared to
put her to death. Just at that moment a young wild boar
came running by, so he caught and killed it, and taking out its)
heart, he brought it to the queen for a token. And it was)
salted and cooked, and the wicked woman ate it up, thinking
that there was an end of Snow-white.
Now, when the poor child found herself quite alone in the
wild woods, she felt full of terror, even of the very leaves on)
the trees, and she did not know what to do for fright. Then
she began to run over the sharp stones and through the thorn
bushes, and the wild beasts after her, but they did her no harm.