She was a
handsome lady, but proud and haughty, and could not endure that any
one should surpass her in beauty. She had a wonderful mirror, and
whenever she walked up to it, and looked at herself in it, she said:
"Little glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest among us all?"
Then the mirror replied:
"Lady queen, so grand and tall,
Thou art the fairest of them all."
And she was satisfied, for she knew the mirror always told the truth.
But Snowdrop grew ever taller and fairer, and at seven years old was
beautiful as the day, and more beautiful than the queen herself. So
once, when the queen asked of her mirror:
"Little glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest among us all?"
it answered:
"Lady queen, you are grand and tall,
But Snowdrop is fairest of you all."
Then the queen was startled, and turned yellow and green with envy.
From that hour she so hated Snowdrop, that she burned with secret
wrath whenever she saw the maiden. Pride and envy grew apace like
weeds in her heart, till she had no rest day or night. So she called a
huntsman and said, "Take the child out in the forest, for I will
endure her no longer in my sight. Kill her, and bring me her lungs and
liver as tokens that you have done it."
The huntsman obeyed, and led the child away; but when he had drawn his
hunting-knife, and was about to pierce Snowdrop's innocent heart, she
began to weep, and said, "Ah! dear huntsman, spare my life, and I will
run deep into the wild forest, and never more come home.
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