He saw the coffin on the mountain with the beautiful Snowdrop in it,
and read what was written there in letters of gold. Then he said to
the dwarfs, "Let me have the coffin! I will give you whatever you like
to ask for it."
But the dwarfs answered, "We would not part with it for all the gold
in the world."
He said again, "Yet give it me; for I cannot live without seeing
Snowdrop, and though she is dead, I will prize and honour her as my
beloved."
Then the good dwarfs took pity on him, and gave him the coffin. The
prince had it borne away by his servants. They happened to stumble
over a bush, and the shock forced the bit of poisoned apple which
Snowdrop had tasted out of her throat. Immediately she opened her
eyes, raised the coffin-lid, and sat up alive once more. "Oh, heaven!"
cried she, "where am I?"
The prince answered joyfully, "Thou art with me," and told her what
had happened, saying, "I love thee more dearly than anything else in
the world. Come with me to my father's castle, and be my wife."
Snowdrop, well pleased, went with him, and they were married with much
state and grandeur.
The wicked stepmother was invited to the feast. Richly dressed, she
stood before the mirror, and asked of it:
"Little glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest among us all?"
The mirror answered:
"Lady queen, so grand and tall,
Here, you are fairest among them all;
But the young queen over the mountains old,
Is fairer than you a thousandfold.
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