Then, being very tired, she laid herself down in one of the beds, but
could not make herself comfortable, for one was too long, and another
too short. The seventh, luckily, was just right; so there she stayed,
said her prayers, and fell asleep.
When it was grown quite dark, home came the masters of the house,
seven dwarfs, who delved and mined for iron among the mountains. They
lighted their seven candles, and as soon as there was a light in the
kitchen, they saw that some one had been there, for it was not quite
so orderly as they had left it.
The first said, "Who has been sitting on my stool?"
The second, "Who has eaten off my plate?"
The third, "Who has taken part of my loaf?"
The fourth, "Who has touched my vegetables?"
The fifth, "Who has used my fork?"
The sixth, "Who has cut with my knife?"
The seventh, "Who has drunk out of my little cup?"
Then the first dwarf looked about, and saw that there was a slight
hollow in his bed, so he asked, "Who has been lying in my little bed?"
The others came running, and each called out, "Some one has also been
lying in my bed."
But the seventh, when he looked in his bed, saw Snowdrop there, fast
asleep. He called the others, who flocked round with cries of
surprise, fetched their seven candles, and cast the light on Snowdrop.
"Oh, heaven!" they cried, "what a lovely child!" and were so pleased
that they would not wake her, but let her sleep on in the little bed.
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