episode 4
In the morning Snow White told them all her story, and they pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash, and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would take good care of her.
Then they went out all day long to their work, seeking for gold, silver and bronze in the mountains; and Snow White remained at home; and they warned her, saying,
“The queen will soon find out where you are, so take care and let no one in.”
But the queen, now that she thought Snow White was dead, believed that she was certainly the handsomest lady in land; so she went to her glass and said-
“Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest? Tell me who?”
And the glass answered-
“Thou, Queen, thou are fairest in all this land; But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snow White is hiding; and she is lovelier far, 0 Queen, than thee.”
Then the queen was very much alarmed; for she knew that the glass always spoke the truth, and she was sure that the servant had betrayed her.
And as she could not bear to think that anyone lived who was more beautiful than she was, she disguised herself as an old peddler woman and went her way over the hills to the place where the dwarfs dwelt.
Then she knocked at the door and cried,
“Fine wares to sell!”
Snow White looked out of the window, and said,
“Good day, good woman; what have you to sell?”
“Good wares, fine wares,”
replied she,
“Laces and bobbins of rainbow colors.”
“I will let the old lady in; she seems to be a very good sort of a body.”
Thought Snow White; so she ran down, and unbolted the door.
“Bless me!”
Said the woman,
“How badly your stays are laced. Let me lace them up with one of my nice new laces.”
Snow White did not dream of any mischief, so she stood up before the old woman who set to work so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tightly that Snow White lost her, breath, and fell down as if she were dead.
“There’s an end of all thy beauty,”
Said the spiteful queen, and went away home.
