Snow White

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a beautiful princess named Snow White. Her skin was as white as snow, her lips as red as roses, and her hair as black as ebony. Her mother, the queen, died when she was just a baby, and her father later married a proud and cruel woman who could not bear anyone more beautiful than herself.

This new queen possessed a magic mirror and would ask it every day, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
The mirror always replied, “You are, O Queen.”
But one day, the mirror answered differently: “Snow White is the fairest of them all.”

The queen’s heart filled with jealousy and rage. She ordered a huntsman to take Snow White into the forest and kill her. But when the kind huntsman saw the innocent princess crying, he could not harm her. Instead, he told her to run far away and never return to the castle.

Snow White wandered deep into the forest until she came upon a small cottage. Inside, she found tiny furniture, small beds, and dishes. Tired and frightened, she fell asleep across the seven little beds. When the owners of the house came home — seven dwarfs who worked in the nearby mines — they were surprised to find the beautiful girl sleeping there.

When she awoke, Snow White told them her story. The dwarfs took pity on her and invited her to stay. “You can keep house for us,” they said, “and we will protect you from harm.” Snow White agreed and lived happily with them, cooking, cleaning, and singing each day.

Meanwhile, the wicked queen again asked her mirror, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
The mirror replied, “Snow White, who lives with the seven dwarfs, is the fairest of them all.”

The queen was furious. She disguised herself as an old peddler woman and went to the dwarfs’ cottage. Her first trick was a poisoned lace, but the dwarfs returned just in time to save Snow White. Next, the queen came again with a poisoned comb, but the dwarfs saved her once more.

At last, the queen made a poisoned apple — red and shiny, but deadly inside. Disguised again, she offered the apple to Snow White. “Just one bite, dear child,” she said sweetly. Snow White took the apple and fell to the ground as if dead. The queen returned to her castle, laughing in triumph.

When the dwarfs found Snow White lifeless, they wept bitterly. Unable to bury her beauty, they made a glass coffin and placed her in it on the mountain. Time passed, and one day a prince came riding through the forest. Seeing Snow White in the coffin, he was struck by her beauty and sorrowfully asked the dwarfs if he could take her to his castle.

As his servants lifted the coffin, one stumbled, and the piece of poisoned apple dislodged from Snow White’s throat. She opened her eyes, alive once again! The prince rejoiced, and Snow White smiled with love and gratitude.

The prince took Snow White to his kingdom, where they were married in great joy. The wicked queen, upon asking her mirror once again, learned that Snow White was alive and now queen herself. In her fury, she shattered the mirror — and her own heart broke with it.

Snow White and her prince lived happily ever after, their love and kindness shining brighter than any magic in the land.