Snow White（白雪公主）

来源: 06abc.com　　有0人参与

A long time ago, and far away there lived a King and a Queen. They were very happy, except for one thing -- they both longed for a child.

　　The Queen sat sewing by her window one winter's day when she suddenly pricked her finger. A drop of blood fell on the snow by the window.

　　"Oh, I wish I had a daughter with skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony and red, red lips," she sighed.

　　Happily the Queen's wish came true. In the autumn that year a baby girl was born. Sadly, the Queen died soon after.

　　The little Princess was called Snow White and she grew to be a lovely girl.

　　After many years the King married again. His new wife was beautiful and proud. She liked to use magic and had a magic mirror. She would say:

　　"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"

　　And the mirror would answer:

　　"You, Queen, are the fairest in the land."

　　The Queen was very proud.

　　One day the Queen spoke to the mirror as usual, but this time the answer was different.

　　"You, Queen, are fair, but the fairest of all is Snow White."

　　The Queen was very angry to hear this. She plotted and schemed and decided to kill Snow White.

　　"Huntsman," she said, one day. " I want you to take Snow White into the forest and kill her. Bring back her heart to prove she is dead."

　　"Your Majesty," said the huntsman, bowing. He was horrified. He didn't want to kill the Princess.

　　"Come," he said to Snow White. "We are going into the forest." He took Snow White deeper and deeper into the forest, then he spoke to her.

　　"Beware of you stepmother," he said. "She wants you killed. Those were my orders. But I can't kill you. Go deeper into the forest and one day you will be able to return. But be careful. She may find out that you're alive."

　　The huntsman then killed a small deer and took its heart back to the queen. The Queen was very happy. She was now the fairest in the land.

　　Meanwhile, Snow White ran deeper and deeper into the forest. Finally, when it was growing dark she came to a small cottage.

　　She knocked but there was no answer.

　　"I wonder who lives here," she said. She pushed the door open.

　　What a sight met her eyes! The little house was very untidy, plates and cups were waiting to be washed up and the table was still laid for breakfast.

　　"What a mess," said Snow White, and she bustled around and cleaned the house from top to bottom. She was very surprised to find that there was seven of everything: seven cups, seven plates, seven knives, seven forks and seven beds and chairs.

　　Then Snow White had some bread and cheese. She was very tired, so she went upstairs to the newly cleaned bedroom, and fell asleep on one of the beds.

　　Later on, when the owners of the cottage returned, they couldn't believe their eyes! Their little home was spotless.

　　"Who can have done this?" they asked.

　　They looked around. Dinner was cooking in the oven and the table was laid.

　　"It's a girl," called one, from the top of the stairs. "She's asleep in our room."

　　Snow White woke up to find seven little men standing by the bed. They were seven dwarfs and they worked in a mine in the nearby hills.

　　"Don't be scared," they told her. "How did you find this place? We're a long way into the forest."

　　Snow White told her story. The dwarfs were horrified.

　　"You must stay here," they said. "You'll be safe here."

　　"Thank you," said Snow White.

　　Snow White was very happy in the forest, and the dwarfs were delighted to look after her. For many days only six dwarfs went to work, because one would stay behind with Snow White, but after a while Snow White convinced them that she would be all right.

　　"Promise us that you will keep the door locked," said the dwarfs. "The Queen may find out that you're with us and try to harm you."

　　"The door will stay shut all the time," said Snow White. "I won't open it to anyone."

　　The dwarfs were happy with this and they all went off to their work in the mine.

　　Meanwhile, the Queen, Snow White's stepmother, was happy in the knowledge that she was the fairest in the land, but one day she thought she'd just make sure.

　　"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" she asked.

　　"You, Queen, are fair, but Snow White is the fairest of all." The mirror showed a picture of Snow White deep in the forest, with the seven dwarfs.

　　The Queen was furious. The huntsman had lied to her.

　　"I'll find her myself," muttered the Queen. She used a little magic to make herself look very old. Then she dressed herself in peasant clothes and made her way to the forest.

　　When she was there, she waited for the seven dwarfs to go off to the mine. Snow White stayed inside the house as she'd promised the dwarfs.

　　"Combs for sale! Combs and ribbons for sale!" called an old peasant woman.

　　"Oh, how lovely," said Snow White. "Please may I see your combs."

　　"Come out into the lovely sunshine," said the peasant woman.

　　"I can't, I promised the dwarfs," said Snow White. "Can I look at them over the windowsill?"

　　"Of course," said the woman. "Here's a pretty one. It will suit your lovely dark hair."

　　"I have no mirror," said Snow White. "Can you put it in for me?"

　　"Of course," said the woman. "Turn around."

　　Snow White turned and the wicked Queen pushed the comb hard into Snow White's hair. It was poisoned and Snow White fell to the floor.

　　"No more pretty Snow White," said the Queen, changing back to her normal self. "Goodbye my dear."

　　The dwarfs returned home early that night to find Snow White on the floor, looking quite dead. They rushed to her pulling her upright.

　　"We should never have left her," said one.

　　"It must have been the wicked Queen," said another.

　　"Look!" one suddenly said. "She's waking up." The comb had been dislodged and the poison no longer worked.

　　Snow White woke up to find herself surrounded by the dwarfs.

　　"You must be very careful," they told her. "This is the work of the wicked Queen."

　　The Queen had arrived back at the palace and went at one to the mirror.

　　She was very angry with the answer the mirror gave her. How could Snow White still be alive?

　　"This time she will die," said the wicked Queen. She spent many days preparing the poison she would use.

　　Snow White was feeling much better and promised she would not talk to anyone. Several weeks passed and everyone felt safe.

　　The dwarfs went to work, and into the forest walked an old woman collecting sticks.

　　"She's selling nothing," said Snow White,"but I will still be careful."

　　A knock at the door took Snow White to the window.

　　"May I have a drink?" asked the old woman.

　　"There's no harm in that," said Snow White. "Wait there." She handed a glass of water to the woman.

　　"Would you like an apple?" asked the old woman.

　　"No thank you," said Snow White.

　　"They're lovely and ripe," said the woman. "Try some of mine." She cut a piece from the apple she was eating.

　　'It must be safe,' thought Snow White. 'She's eating the apple too.'

　　The Queen had very cleverly poisoned just one half of the apple -- the half she cut of for Snow White.

　　Snow White took one bite and fell, as if dead, onto the floor.

　　The old woman turned back into the wicked Queen.

　　"This time your friends won't be able to help you," laughed the Queen. "Good-bye!"

　　The seven dwarfs returned from the mine to find Snow White lying on the floor. This time they couldn't revive her. Snow White was dead.

　　They were very sad and they couldn't bear the thought of burying her in the ground, so they made a glass coffin and filled it with sweet-smelling flowers.

　　They put it in a sunny glade in the forest, keeping guard over it day after day. Snow White seemed to be sleeping rather than dead.

　　The Queen had spoken to her mirror and was once again the fairest in the land.

　　One day a young Prince rode through the forest. He reached the glade and saw Snow White in her glass coffin.

　　"She's beautiful," he said and he could think of nothing else but Snow White.

　　"She is so beautiful," he said to the dwarfs. "May I take her with me. I promise I will always look after her."

　　The dwarfs could see that the Prince meant it, and agreed. Just as the servants were lifting the glass coffin one of them tripped and jolted Snow White. It was enough to make the piece of apple fall out of her mouth. Within moments she was waking up.

　　The Prince and the seven dwarfs were delighted.

　　"Will you marry me?" asked the Prince. They prepared to return to his kingdom.

　　Meanwhile, the wicked Queen was looking in her mirror.

　　"You, Queen, are fair, but Snow White with her Prince is the fairest of all."

　　The mirror showed the Queen a picture of the Prince with Snow White.

　　This time the Queen was so angry that the magic inside her boiled up and killed her. Snow White would never have to worry about her again.
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