33-snowdrop-第1部分

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SNOWDROP



ONCE　upon　a　time；　in　the　middle　of　winter　when　the　snow…flakes

were　falling　like　feathers　on　the　earth；　a　Queen　sat　at　a　window

framed　in　black　ebony　and　sewed。　And　as　she　sewed　and　gazed

out　to　the　white　landscape；　she　pricked　her　finger　with　the　needle；

and　three　drops　of　blood　fell　on　the　snow　outside；　and　because　the

red　showed　out　so　well　against　the　white　she　thought　to　herself：



‘Oh！　what　wouldn't　I　give　to　have　a　child　as　white　as　snow；　as

red　as　blood；　and　as　black　as　ebony！'



And　her　wish　was　granted；　for　not　long　after　a　little　daughter

was　born　to　her；　with　a　skin　as　white　as　snow；　lips　and　cheeks　as

red　as　blood；　and　hair　as　black　as　ebony。　They　called　her　Snowdrop；

and　not　long　after　her　birth　the　Queen　died。



After　a　year　the　King　married　again。　His　new　wife　was　a

beautiful　woman；　but　so　proud　and　overbearing　that　she　couldn't

stand　any　rival　to　her　beauty。　She　possessed　a　magic　mirror；　and

when　she　used　to　stand　before　it　gazing　at　her　own　reflection　and　ask：





‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'



it　always　replied：





‘You　are　most　fair；　my　Lady　Queen；

None　fairer　in　the　land；　I　ween。'





Then　she　was　quite　happy；　for　she　knew　the　mirror　always　spoke　the　truth。



But　Snowdrop　was　growing　prettier　and　prettier　every　day；　and

when　she　was　seven　years　old　she　was　as　beautiful　as　she　could　be；

and　fairer　even　than　the　Queen　herself。　One　day　when　the　latter

asked　her　mirror　the　usual　question；　it　replied：



‘My　Lady　Queen；　you　are　fair；　'tis　true；

But　Snowdrop　is　fairer　far　than　you。'





Then　the　Queen　flew　into　the　most　awful　passion；　and　turned

every　shade　of　green　in　her　jealousy。　From　this　hour　she　hated

poor　Snowdrop　like　poison；　and　every　day　her　envy；　hatred；　and

malice　grew；　for　envy　and　jealousy　are　like　evil　weeds　which　spring

up　and　choke　the　heart。　At　last　she　could　endure　Snowdrop's

presence　no　longer；　and；　calling　a　huntsman　to　her；　she　said：



‘Take　the　child　out　into　the　wood；　and　never　let　me　see　her　face

again。　You　must　kill　her；　and　bring　me　back　her　lungs　and　liver；

that　I　may　know　for　certain　she　is　dead。'



The　Huntsman　did　as　he　was　told　and　led　Snowdrop　out　into

the　wood；　but　as　he　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　out　his　knife　to　slay

her；　she　began　to　cry；　and　said：



‘Oh；　dear　Huntsman；　spare　my　life；　and　I　will　promise　to　fly　forth

into　the　wide　wood　and　never　to　return　home　again。'



And　because　she　was　so　young　and　pretty　the　Huntsman　had　pity

on　her；　and　said：



‘Well；　run　along；　poor　child。'　For　he　thought　to　himself：　‘The

wild　beasts　will　soon　eat　her　up。'



And　his　heart　felt　lighter　because　he　hadn't　had　to　do　the　deed

himself。　And　as　he　turned　away　a　young　boar　came　running　past；

so　he　shot　it；　and　brought　its　lungs　and　liver　home　to　the　Queen　as

a　proof　that　Snowdrop　was　really　dead。　And　the　wicked　woman

had　them　stewed　in　salt；　and　ate　them　up；　thinking　she　had　made

an　end　of　Snowdrop　for　ever。



Now　when　the　poor　child　found　herself　alone　in　the　big　wood　the

very　trees　around　her　seemed　to　assume　strange　shapes；　and　she　felt

so　frightened　she　didn't　know　what　to　do。　Then　she　began　to　run

over　the　sharp　stones；　and　through　the　bramble　bushes；　and　the　wild

beasts　ran　past　her；　but　they　did　her　no　harm。　She　ran　as　far　as

her　legs　would　carry　her；　and　as　evening　approached　she　saw　a　little

house；　and　she　stepped　inside　to　rest。　Everything　was　very　small

in　the　little　house；　but　cleaner　and　neater　than　anything　you　can

imagine。　In　the　middle　of　the　room　there　stood　a　little　table；

covered　with　a　white　tablecloth；　and　seven　little　plates　and　forks

and　spoons　and　knives　and　tumblers。　Side　by　side　against　the　wall

there　were　seven　little　beds；　covered　with　snow…white　counterpanes。

Snowdrop　felt　so　hungry　and　so　thirsty　that　she　ate　a　bit　of　bread

and　a　little　porridge　from　each　plate；　and　drank　a　drop　of　wine　out

of　each　tumbler。　Then　feeling　tired　and　sleepy　she　lay　down　on

one　of　the　beds；　but　it　wasn't　comfortable；　then　she　tried　all　the

others　in　turn；　but　one　was　too　long；　and　another　too　short；　and　it

was　only　when　she　got　to　the　seventh　that　she　found　one　to　suit　her

exactly。　So　she　lay　down　upon　it；　said　her　prayers　like　a　good　child；

and　fell　fast　asleep。



When　it　got　quite　dark　the　masters　of　the　little　house　returned。

They　were　seven　dwarfs　who　worked　in　the　mines；　right　down　deep

in　the　heart　of　the　mountain。　They　lighted　their　seven　little　lamps；

and　as　soon　as　their　eyes　got　accustomed　to　the　glare　they　saw　that

someone　had　been　in　the　room；　for　all　was　not　in　the　same　order　as

they　had　left　it。



The　first　said：



‘Who's　been　sitting　on　my　little　chair？'



The　second　said：



‘Who's　been　eating　my　little　loaf？'



The　third　said：



‘Who's　been　tasting　my　porridge？'



The　fourth　said：



‘Who's　been　eating　out　of　my　little　plate？'



The　fifth　said：



‘Who's　been　using　my　little　fork？'



The　sixth　said：



‘Who's　been　cutting　with　my　little　knife？'



The　seventh　said：



‘Who's　been　drinking　out　of　my　little　tumbler？'



Then　the　first　Dwarf　looked　round　and　saw　a　little　hollow　in　his

bed；　and　he　asked　again：



‘Who's　been　lying　on　my　bed？'



The　others　came　running　round；　and　cried　when　they　saw　their

beds：



‘Somebody　has　lain　on　ours　too。'



But　when　the　seventh　came　to　his　bed；　he　started　back　in

amazement；　for　there　he　beheld　Snowdrop　fast　asleep。　Then　he

called　the　others；　who　turned　their　little　lamps　full　on　the　bed；　and

when　they　saw　Snowdrop　lying　there　they　nearly　fell　down　with

surprise。



‘Goodness　gracious！'　they　cried；　‘what　a　beautiful　child！'



And　they　were　so　enchanted　by　her　beauty　that　they　did　not

wake　her；　but　let　her　sleep　on　in　the　little　bed。　But　the　seventh

Dwarf　slept　with　his　companions　one　hour　in　each　bed；　and　in　this

way　he　managed　to　pass　the　night。



In　the　morning　Snowdrop　awoke；　but　when　she　saw　the　seven

little　Dwarfs　she　felt　very　frightened。　But　they　were　so　friendly

and　asked　her　what　her　name　was　in　such　a　kind　way；　that　she

replied：



‘I　am　Snowdrop。'



‘Why　did　you　come　to　our　house？'　continued　the　Dwarfs。



Then　she　told　them　how　her　stepmother　had　wished　her　put　to

death；　and　how　the　Huntsman　had　spared　her　life；　and　how　she　had

run　the　whole　day　till　she　had　come　to　their　little　house。　The

Dwarfs；　when　they　had　heard　her　sad　story；　asked　her：



‘Will　you　stay　and　keep　house　for　us；　cook；　make　the　beds；

the　washing；　sew　and　knit？　and　if　you　give　satisfaction　and　keep

everything　neat　and　clean；　you　shall　want　for　nothing。'



‘Yes；'　answered　Snowdrop；　‘I　will　gladly　do　all　you　ask。'



And　so　she　took　up　her　abode　with　them。　Every　morning　the

Dwarfs　went　into　the　mountain　to　dig　for　gold；　and　in　the　evening；

when　they　returned　home；　Snowdrop　always　had　their　supper　ready

for　them。　But　during　the　day　the　girl　was　left　quite　alone；　so　the

good　Dwarfs　warned　her；　saying：



‘Beware　of　your　step…mother。　She　will　soon　find　out　you　are

here；　and　whatever　you　do　don't　let　anyone　into　the　house。'



Now　the　Queen；　after　she　thought　she　had　eaten　Snowdrop's

lungs　and　liver；　never　dreamed　but　that　she　was　once　more　the

most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world；　so　stepping　before　her　mirror

one　day　she　said：





‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'





and　the　mirror　replied：



‘My　Lady　Queen；　you　are　fair；　'tis　true；

But　Snowdrop　is　fairer　far　than　you。

Snowdrop；　who　dwells　with　the　seven　little　men；

Is　as　fair　as　you；　as　fair　again。'





When　the　Queen　heard　these　words　she　was　nearly　struck　dumb

with　horror；　for　the　mirror　always　spoke　the　truth；　and　she　knew

now　that　the　Huntsman　must　have　deceived　her；　and　that　Snowdrop

was　still　alive。　She　pondered　day　and　night　how　she　might　destroy

her；　for　as　long　as　she　felt　she　had　a　rival　in　the　land　her　jealous

heart　left　her　no　rest。　At　last　she　hit　upon　a　plan。　She　stained　her

face　and　dressed　herself　up　as　an　old　peddler　wife；　so　that　she　was

quite　unrecognisable。　In　this　guise　she　went　over　the　seven　hills

till　she　came　to　the　house　of　the　seven　Dwarfs。　There　she　knocked

at　the　door；　calling　out　at　the　same　time：



‘Fine　wares　to　sell；　fine　wares　to　sell！'



Snowdrop　peeped　out　of　the　window；　and　called　out：



‘Good…day；　mother；　what　have　you　to　sell？'



‘Good　wares；　fine　wares；'　she　answered；　‘laces　of　every　shade

and　description；'　and　she　held　one　up　that　was　made　of　some　gay

coloured　silk。



‘Surely　I　can　let　the　honest　woman　in；'　thought　Snowdrop；　so

she　unbarred　the　door　and　bought　the　pretty　lace。



‘Good　gracious！　child；'　said　the　old　woman；　‘what　a　figure　you've

got。　Come！　I'll　lace　you　up　properly　for　once。'



Snowdrop；　suspecting　no　evil；　stood　before　her　and　let　her　lace

her　bodice　up；　but　the　old　woman　laced　her　so　quickly　and　so　tightly

that　it　took　Snowdrop's　breath　away；　and　she　fell　down　dead。



‘Now　you　are　no　longer　the　fairest；'　said　the　wicked　old　woman；

and　then　she　hastened　away。



In　the　evening　the　seven　Dwarfs　came　home；　and　you　may

think　what　a　fright　they　got　when　they　saw　their　dear　Snowdrop

lying　on　the　floor；　as　still　and　motionless　as　a　dead　person。　They

lifted　her　up　tenderly；　and　when　they　saw　how　tightly　laced　she

was　they　cut　the　lace　in　two；　and　she　began　to　breathe　a　little　and

gradually　came　back　to　life。　When　the　Dwarfs　heard　what　had

happened；　they　said：



‘Depend　upon　it；　the　old　peddler　wife　was　none　other　than　the

old　Queen。　In　future　you　must　be　sure　to　let　no　one　in；　if　we　are

not　at　home。'



As　soon　as　the　wicked　old　Queen　got　home　she　went　straight　to

her　mirror；　and　said：





‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'





and　the　mirror　answered　as　before：





‘My　Lady　Queen；　you　are　fair；