33-snowdrop-第2部分

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and　the　mirror　answered　as　before：





‘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　she　heard　this　she　became　as　pale　as　death；　because　she

saw　at　once　that　Snowdrop　must　be　alive　again。



‘This　time；'　she　said　to　herself；　‘I　will　think　of　something　that

will　make　an　end　of　her　once　and　for　all。'



And　by　the　witchcraft　which　she　understood　so　well　she　made

a　poisonous　comb；　then　she　dressed　herself　up　and　assumed　the

form　of　another　old　woman。　So　she　went　over　the　seven　hills　till

she　reached　the　house　of　the　seven　Dwarfs；　and　knocking　at　the

door　she　called　out：



‘Fine　wares　for　sale。'



Snowdrop　looked　out　of　the　window　and　said：



‘You　must　go　away；　for　I　may　not　let　anyone　in。'



‘But　surely　you　are　not　forbidden　to　look　out？'　said　the　old

woman；　and　she　held　up　the　poisonous　comb　for　her　to　see。



It　pleased　the　girl　so　much　that　she　let　herself　be　taken　in；　and

opened　the　door。　When　they　had　settled　their　bargain　the　old

woman　said：



‘Now　I'll　comb　your　hair　properly　for　you；　for　once　in　the

way。'



Poor　Snowdrop　thought　no　evil；　but　hardly　had　the　comb　touched

her　hair　than　the　poison　worked　and　she　fell　down　unconscious。



‘Now；　my　fine　lady；　you're　really　done　for　this　time；'　said　the

wicked　woman；　and　she　made　her　way　home　as　fast　as　she　could。



Fortunately　it　was　now　near　evening；　and　the　seven　Dwarfs

returned　home。　When　they　saw　Snowdrop　lying　dead　on　the　ground；

they　at　once　suspected　that　her　wicked　step…mother　had　been　at

work　again；　so　they　searched　till　they　found　the　poisonous　comb；

and　the　moment　they　pulled　it　out　of　her　head　Snowdrop　came　to

herself　again；　and　told　them　what　had　happened。　Then　they

warned　her　once　more　to　be　on　her　guard；　and　to　open　the　door　to

no　one。



As　soon　as　the　Queen　got　home　she　went　straight　to　her　mirror；

and　asked：



‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'



and　it　replied　as　before：





‘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　she　heard　these　words　she　literally　trembled　and　shook　with　rage。



‘Snowdrop　shall　die；'　she　cried；　‘yes；　though　it　cost　me　my　own　life。'



Then　she　went　to　a　little　secret　chamber；　which　no　one　knew　of

but　herself；　and　there　she　made　a　poisonous　apple。　Outwardly　it

looked　beautiful；　white　with　red　cheeks；　so　that　everyone　who　saw

it　longed　to　eat　it；　but　anyone　who　might　do　so　would　certainly　die

on　the　spot。　When　the　apple　was　quite　finished　she　stained　her

face　and　dressed　herself　up　as　a　peasant；　and　so　she　went　over

the　seven　hills　to　the　seven　Dwarfs'。　She　knocked　at　the　door；　as

usual；　but　Snowdrop　put　her　head　out　of　the　window　and　called

out：



‘I　may　not　let　anyone　in；　the　seven　Dwarfs　have　forbidden　me

to　do　so。'



‘Are　you　afraid　of　being　poisoned？'　asked　the　old　woman。　‘See；　I

will　cut　this　apple　in　half。　I'll　eat　the　white　cheek　and　you　can　eat

the　red。'



But　the　apple　was　so　cunningly　made　that　only　the　red　cheek

was　poisonous。　Snowdrop　longed　to　eat　the　tempting　fruit；　and　when

she　saw　that　the　peasant　woman　was　eating　it　herself；　she　couldn't

resist　the　temptation　any　longer；　and　stretching　out　her　hand　she

took　the　poisonous　half。　But　hardly　had　the　first　bite　passed　her

lips　than　she　fell　down　dead　on　the　ground。　Then　the　eyes　of　the

cruel　Queen　sparkled　with　glee；　and　laughing　aloud　she　cried：



‘As　white　as　snow；　as　red　as　blood；　and　as　black　as　ebony；　this

time　the　Dwarfs　won't　be　able　to　bring　you　back　to　life。'



When　she　got　home　she　asked　the　mirror：





‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'





and　this　time　it　replied：





‘You　are　most　fair；　my　Lady　Queen；

None　fairer　in　the　land；　I　ween。'





Then　her　jealous　heart　was　at　restat　least；　as　much　at　rest

as　a　jealous　heart　can　ever　be。



When　the　little　Dwarfs　came　home　in　the　evening　they　found

Snowdrop　lying　on　the　ground；　and　she　neither　breathed　nor　stirred。

They　lifted　her　up；　and　looked　round　everywhere　to　see　if　they

could　find　anything　poisonous　about。　They　unlaced　her　bodice；

combed　her　hair；　washed　her　with　water　and　wine；　but　all　in　vain；

the　child　was　dead　and　remained　dead。　Then　they　placed　her　on

a　bier；　and　all　the　seven　Dwarfs　sat　round　it；　weeping　and　sobbing

for　three　whole　days。　At　last　they　made　up　their　minds　to　bury

her；　but　she　looked　as　blooming　as　a　living　being；　and　her　cheeks

were　still　such　a　lovely　colour；　that　they　said：



‘We　can't　hide　her　away　in　the　black　ground。'



So　they　had　a　coffin　made　of　transparent　glass；　and　they　laid　her

in　it；　and　wrote　on　the　lid　in　golden　letters　that　she　was　a　royal

Princess。　Then　they　put　the　coffin　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and

one　of　the　Dwarfs　always　remained　beside　it　and　kept　watch　over　it。

And　the　very　birds　of　the　air　came　and　bewailed　Snowdrop's　death；

first　an　owl；　and　then　a　raven；　and　last　of　all　a　little　dove。



Snowdrop　lay　a　long　time　in　the　coffin；　and　she　always　looked

the　same；　just　as　if　she　were　fast　asleep；　and　she　remained　as　white

as　snow；　as　red　as　blood；　and　her　hair　as　black　as　ebony。



Now　it　happened　one　day　that　a　Prince　came　to　the　wood　and

passed　by　the　Dwarfs'　house。　He　saw　the　coffin　on　the　hill；　with

the　beautiful　Snowdrop　inside　it；　and　when　he　had　read　what　was

written　on　it　in　golden　letters；　he　said　to　the　Dwarf：



‘Give　me　the　coffin。　I'll　give　you　whatever　you　like　for　it。'



But　the　Dwarf　said：　‘No；　we　wouldn't　part　with　it　for　all　the

gold　in　the　world。'



‘Well；　then；'　he　replied；　‘give　it　to　me；　because　I　can't　live

without　Snowdrop。　I　will　cherish　and　love　it　as　my　dearest　possession。'



He　spoke　so　sadly　that　the　good　Dwarfs　had　pity　on　him；

and　gave　him　the　coffin；　and　the　Prince　made　his　servants　bear

it　away　on　their　shoulders。　Now　it　happened　that　as　they　were

going　down　the　hill　they　stumbled　over　a　bush；　and　jolted　the　coffin

so　violently　that　the　poisonous　bit　of　apple　Snowdrop　had

swallowed　fell　out　of　her　throat。　She　gradually　opened　her　eyes；

lifted　up　the　lid　of　the　coffin；　and　sat　up　alive　and　well。



‘Oh！　dear　me；　where　am　I？'　she　cried。



The　Prince　answered　joyfully；　‘You　are　with　me；'　and　he　told　her

all　that　had　happened。　adding；　‘I　love　you　better　than　anyone

in　the　whole　wide　world。　Will　you　come　with　me　to　my　father's　palace

and　be　my　wife？'



Snowdrop　consented；　and　went　with　him；　and　the　marriage　was

celebrated　with　great　pomp　and　splendour。



Now　Snowdrop's　wicked　step…mother　was　one　of　the　guests

invited　to　the　wedding　feast。　When　she　had　dressed　herself　very

gorgeously　for　the　occasion；　she　went　to　the　mirror；　and　said：





‘Mirror；　mirror；　hanging　there；

Who　in　all　the　land's　most　fair？'





and　the　mirror　answered：





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

But　Snowdrop　is　fairer　far　than　you。'





When　the　wicked　woman　heard　these　words　she　uttered　a

curse；　and　was　beside　herself　with　rage　and　mortification。　At　first

she　didn't　want　to　go　to　the　wedding　at　all；　but　at　the　same　time

she　felt　she　would　never　be　happy　till　she　had　seen　the　young

Queen。　As　she　entered　Snowdrop　recognised　her；　and　nearly

fainted　with　fear；　but　red…hot　iron　shoes　had　been　prepared　for　the

wicked　old　Queen；　and　she　was　made　to　get　into　them　and　dance

till　she　fell　down　dead。＇29＇



＇29＇　Grimm。